GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE September 2020 | Vol.25 #11
THE
Property YOUR NEW ESTATE AGENTS: HABiKONS
UNLOCKING LIVE MUSIC
IN GIBRALTAR
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
GIBRALTAR CULTURAL SERVICES
ZOOKEEPER’S DIARY IT’S A WILD LIFE!
GET ACTIVE EARN PASSIVE MAKE MONEY WHILE YOU SLEEP
ART CLUB
HOW TO DRAW EL CASTILLO
5 YEARS STRONG SURVIVING CANCER
from the editor
SEPTEMBER ISSUE EDITOR’S NOTE As we navigate a particularly challenging year, it’s important to rest and reflect. If you managed to get up and dressed today, you’re doing great! Did you send off that important email? Pat yourself on the back! Learnt a new skill? Okay, now you’re just showing off…
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.
The arts have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. The sudden and substantial impact of COVID-19 has meant exhibitions, performances, and events have been cancelled across the globe – and Gibraltar is no exception. So, in this issue, we’re pulling back the curtains on our local thespians, and letting art and culture take centre stage. The White Light Theatre has done a sterling job of keeping us entertained over the years, with Llévame Donde Naci, The Winds of Change, and even Harry Potter to name but a few of their productions. Jackie Villa speaks to Gib Mag about how the group has coped with having their plays and workshops halted, and their plans going forward. One such plan involves Kaigan Garcia, who we were also lucky enough to pin down for a lovely interview as he settles back in Gibraltar after living in London for over seven years. As well as preparing to reconnect with his teenage roots for You Stupid Darkness! (to be staged in September), Kaigan will be assisting the White Light Theatre with a production of monologues, as well as Aladdin and The Canterbury Tales in early October. And that’s not all! We chat to another home-grown stager, Nolan Robba, whose drive and success has led him where he is today, as part of the cast of one of the most loved and established shows on the West End - Wicked. Also packed into this overflowing issue, our much-loved regulars: Art Club, Bookish, A Zookeeper’s Diary, and Hearts of Gibraltar. What’s your favourite feature? Head over to bit.ly/3h6s418 to have your say, and help shape your magazine.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
When communication breaks down
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EDITOR:
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Sophie Clifton-Tucker editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com DESIGN: Justin Bautista design@thegibraltarmagazine.com REPORTER: Jeremy Gomez SALES: Advertising Team sales@thegibraltarmagazine.com DISTRIBUTION: DHL martin@matrix.gi ACCOUNTS: Paul Cox paul@thegibraltarmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Eran and Ayelet Mamo Shay Denise Matthews Jorge v.Rein Parlade Romina Mayani Nankani Louis Baldacchino Sophie Clifton-Tucker Reg Reynolds Julia Coelho Elena Scialtiel Oliver Cox Alex Orfila Andrew Licudi
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Bea Garcia Claire Spencer Joel Francis Richard Cartwright Matt Triay facebook.com/gibmag/ twitter.com/gibmag instagram.com/thegibraltarmagazine/ The Gibraltar Magazine is published monthly by Rock Publishing Ltd Portland House, Glacis Road, Gibraltar, PO Box 1114 T: (+350) 20077748 E: editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com Š 2019 Rock Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of The Gibraltar Magazine. www.TheGibraltarMagazine.com Magazine & website archived by the British Library 6
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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content 08 Hello There: How will you be celebrating your (socially distanced) National Day?
45 Taking the Stage: Kaigan Garcia
10 News
49 Art Club: Draw El Castillo in 5 Steps
BUSINESS
52 Bookish: Join Our Monthly Book Club!
16 Get Active to Earn Passive 20 Socio-Economic Inclusion as a Mission
55 Behind Closed Doors: Gibraltar Cultural Services 58 A Wicked Summer
22 The Secret of Business
62 Art vs Covid
24 Your New Estate Agents: HABiKONS
LEISURE 66 An English Gentleman
LIFE 26 Hearts of Gibraltar: Sanjay Nankani 30 Gone with the Wind… In a Hail of Bullets
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32 5 Years Strong: Surviving Pancreatic Cancer
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35 A Zookeeper’s Diary: It’s a Wild Life!
SCENE
69 The Open Water Course 70 Confessions of a Beauty Addict: Beauty Tools 74 Trashion Talia: Recycling Fashion 78 Fashion: White Ts, Summer Breeze
REGULARS 84 Recipes: Pesto & Petit Pois Pasta and Cold Beetroot Soup
38 Unlocking Live Music in Gibraltar
86 Information
42 The White Light Theatre
93 #GibsGems
91 Around Town 94 Kids Korner 95 Coffee Time
on't forget to find the D Hungry Monkey!
COVER PHOTO Photographer: Alastair Sanchez (@ alastair_sanchez_photo_video) Model: Noelle Aldorino (Habikons)
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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hello there
HOW WILL YOU BE CELEBRATING YOUR (SOCIALLY DISTANCED) NATIONAL DAY?
Zera Brittenden, 29 Trainee Clinical Psychologist
Priya Gulraj, 36
"I'll be heading back to London to go back to work at the NHS, but I'll be patriotically wearing red and white on the day!"
Reporter at the Gibraltar Chronicle "I usually work on National Day, but I’m really looking forward to spending a chilled day with my family. A late lunch, then maybe take my parents out for tea, and a games night or a barbecue with friends."
Leon Lopez, 2 Doughnut Thief "This year I’ll be partying away at the beach again with my cousins - just like I did last year! Mummy makes me wear my red shorts and we all say HAPPY NASHNUL DAY!”
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
hello there
Jeslyn Sayers, 27 Teacher at St. Joseph’s Upper Primary School "I will be spending my day at Eastern Beach with my bump, husband, and family. In the true Gibraltarian way, we will probably be eating all day!"
Bianca Pisharello, 27 Accounts Assistant at Hassans "I haven’t decided yet, but I know one thing’s for sure - I’ll be spending it with close family and friends, and that for me is the perfect plan."
Gabriella Peralta, 27 Features Editor at the Gibraltar Chronicle "I'm not entirely sure yet. With COVID-19 I'm planning on keeping it quiet and small, and avoid anywhere busy. It will probably end up being a BBQ with a handful of close friends.”
Alastair Sanchez, 35 Cameraman at GBC "The last 5 years I have been working as a camera operator during the celebrations. So I think this year will have the chance to celebrate with family and friends on the beach."
Want to see yourself or your team featured here? Get in touch at editor@thegibraltarmagazine. com and we'll send you our monthly question! GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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news A LEVEL RESULTS
again risen to the challenge and many have succeeded in their A Level and Level 3 qualifications.
For the first time, these results were issued electronically by the Gibraltar College, Westside and Bayside schools last month.
“We have 11 Gibraltar Scholars who have made their school proud and so many students who we need to congratulate for their achievements. These grades see the culmination of two
Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the examination results remain comparable to previous years, with an overall pass rate of 91% across the three institutions.
years hard work with teachers guiding and supporting these students’ educational journey. We would like to congratulate all students and teachers on their successes, particularly this year when they have all risen above the challenges that COVID has presented.”
This year sees students in our three secondary institutions having secured 607 pass grades, each one representing an individual story and learning journey. Of note are also the large number of students, 11 in total, who have attained three As or above, giving them the status of Gibraltar Scholar. The Director of Education, Jacqueline Mason commented: “During these unprecedented times our students have once
EASYJET RESUMES FLIGHTS FROM BRISTOL EasyJet have resumed their flights from Bristol to Gibraltar. The Hon Vijay Daryanani MP, Minister for Tourism said, “I’m delighted to see the return of flights from Bristol to the Rock and it is encouraging to see that easyJet are steadily resuming their schedules to Gibraltar. Connections with the South West region of the UK have grown steadily over the last few yearsand I know that many of our visitors and Gibraltarians will welcome this.” 10
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
news SUSTAINABILITY BOOKS BY JOHN MACKINTOSH HALL LIBRARY Gibraltar Cultural Services, on behalf of the Ministry for Heritage and Culture, has purchased a new series of books for the John Mackintosh Hall Library, to raise awareness about sustainability, dealing with themes related to environmental and social issues. The books are aimed at children aged between 4 and 12 years, with the purpose of highlighting and explaining complex issues such as conservation and biodiversity, food and gardening, identity and equality. Professor Daniella Tilbury, Commissioner of
Sustainable Development and Future Generations, selected the books, as an extension to a similar project that provided books for the schools. The books serve to educate as well as entertain our young readers on sustainability and make them aware of their personal and community responsibility towards the environment, teaching them ideas as to how they can make small changes to care for our planet. The library is still open only for the loaning and returning of books, Monday to Friday between 10am-2pm. We hope to see everyone making full use of these new publications.
50 wines by the glass 40 small dishes of Mediterranean cuisine 30 John Mackintosh Square GX11 1AA Gibraltar. Tel: 200 70201 info@vinopolisgastrobar.gi www.vinopolisgastrobar.gi
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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news GIBRALTAR WINS MEDCRUISE AWARD In the second edition of the annual MedCruise Awards, Gibraltar has won the award for the “Western Mediterranean MedCruise port showing the greatest commitment during the pandemic”. The MedCruise Association represents the second largest
cruise market in the world. The Association organises the Awards, made up of several categories, to recognise excellence in the industry for those companies, organisations and individuals who are working harder to take this industry into a challenging and competitive future.
keep the Rock at the forefront of the cruise industry. Our membership of MedCruise is a vital part of our efforts to attract cruise ships to the Rock. We hope that once the current situation eases, we will once again welcome cruise passengers to our shores.”
Minister for Tourism, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP, said: “Gibraltar is recognised as one of the leading cruise ports in the Western Mediterranean and this award, in these troubled times, further endorses our efforts to
GIBRALTAR NATIONAL MUSEUM SCIENTISTS COLLABORATE WITH OTHER IBERIAN SCIENTISTS IN A MAJOR PALAEON-TOLOGICAL DISCOVERY Scientists from the Gibraltar National Museum have collaborated with Iberian colleagues from the universities of Lisbon, Sevilla, Huelva, Coimbra and Barcelona in research which has just been published online in the international journal Quaternary Science Reviews.
way to Portugal. The research continues in Doñana and in Gibraltar and further discoveries are not ruled out.
This important discovery strengthens the connection between Gibraltar’s Pleistocene ecosystems and those of Doñana, which scientists have been using as a proxy model for Gibraltar’s ancient landscapes and habitats. The species identified in this research are all represented in the Gibraltar Pleistocene record from its caves and points to a rich coastal shelf landscape which once stretched from the coast of Gibraltar to the Atlantic coast of south-western Iberia all the 12
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
news STREET ART MURAL – GAMPA FACADE Monica Popham is the artist behind the new street art mural adorning the facade of the Gibtaltar Academy of Music and Performing Arts (GAMPA) facility.
artist overcoming the challenges presented by the site itself to complete the piece.
Street Art Committee. Gibraltar
The mural was selected from a number of entries by the
art murals on behalf of HM
Cultural Services, is coordinating the production of these street Government of Gibraltar.
The mural produced by the Fine Arts University student takes inspiration from her sister’s trumpet playing at the Academy, with the colourful and bright piece reflecting the energy of performances produced by GAMPA. This is Monica’s first time painting on this scale with the
CLUBHOUSE GIBRALTAR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT Positive Pathways aims to provide employment and education for people affected by mental health problems, as part of
Clubhouse Gibraltar Transitional Employment Program. In partnership with Clubhouse Gibraltar, Positive Pathways
works towards decrease stigma and discrimination faced by people who have dealt with mental health difficulties. To support their transitional employment placement, you can: •
You can provide the placement supported by Positive Pathways
ORGANIZE AN EVENT OR FUNDRAISER IN AID OF P
not getcan together with your or colleagues and orga • Why You sponsor a friends placement Positive Pathways. We are very grateful for those individuals, who have already done fund raising on our behalf.
• MEMBER'S TESTIMONIALS: “Working in the Cafeteria gives me a reason to get up in the morning. If I didn’t come I would just sit at home and start thinking about things, then my negative thoughts begin and my depression kicks in’ as I am diagnosed with Bi-polar disorder. I know that I can ring when I am having an off day due to my mental health problems, no questions asked or risk of losing my job. When I come back to work, we can talk about why I couldn’t face work and try and put things in place so it doesn’t happen again” (TEP Placement)
You can provide a placement
another company Asponsored GIFT IN YOURby WILL: and managed by Positive
As a small charity remembering us in your will can make a rea Pathways continue our work. This protects your legacy and is the only s happens to any money or possessions we have when we pass
For more information, contact 200 68423 or email positivepathwaysgibraltar@gmail.com
How you can help: GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
REGULAR PAYMENTS:
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A DO IN RE
To celebra some fam donations
news MOBILE TESTING STATIONS Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar wishes to inform the public that, so far, over a hundred Covid-19 tests are being carried out every working day at the mobile testing station. There have been minor changes to the timings of other test stations: •
Mondays: Piazza from 0730 - 1200
•
Wednesdays: Piazza from 0730 – 1200
•
Thursdays: Morrisons from 0730 - 1200
•
Fridays: Morrisons from 0730 - 1200
•
Saturdays: Morrisons from 0730 - 1130.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
DHL Express is the global market leader in the international express business, so you probably already know that we can deliver your documents and parcels from Gibraltar to virtually every country in the world. What you might not know is that we can also take care of all your importing requirements.
For further information please contact: DHL Gibraltar Unit 36 Harbours Deck, New Harbours, Gibraltar Tel: 200 72210 Email: GIBSN@dhl.com GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JUNE 2014
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business
GET ACTIVE TO EARN PASSIVE
Is there anything better than making money while you sleep? Wouldn’t you love to wake up with an influx of cash creeping into your bank account? Passive income can be a great supplementary source of funds for many people, and it can prove to be an especially valuable lifeline during a recession or during other tough times, such as the government lockdown imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
P
assive income can keep some money flowing when you lose a job or otherwise experience some financial hardship. If you’re worried about being able to save enough of your earnings to meet your retirement goals, building wealth through passive income is a strategy that might appeal to you, too. People think passive income means no work needs to be done, but in most cases, there is lots of work involved, especially at the beginning. If you’re thinking about creating a passive income stream, here are some ideas: 1. SELL AN ONLINE COURSE Create an audio or video course, then sell it online through sites such as Udemy, SkillShare and Coursera. Information products can deliver an excellent income stream, because you make money easily after the initial outlay of time. However, it takes a massive amount of effort to create the product and you need to be really good at what you are doing to 16
be able to differentiate yourself online. 2. PROPERTY RENTAL Perhaps the most common form of passive income is to buy a property and rent it out, thereby earning regular rental income. Most people think that you need to have a lot of money to be able to buy an investment property. This is true only if you are only looking at conventional bank financing, but many investors do dozens of deals a year using alternative financing techniques such as owner’s terms, lease optioning, money partners and hard money lenders. Many people are also just looking at their current location when considering buying an investment property. Nowadays, with all the sophisticated online tools available for everyone, buying a property remotely from the comfort of your home, at a destination where properties are comparatively undervalued, is much simpler and affordable. For taking your first steps in real-estate investment in
Nowadays, buying a property remotely from the comfort of your home is much simpler and affordable. a guided environment, multiple online venues are available. One such resource is Project X, (www.projo.live) a project-based real estate investment training course that offers real-world industry experts, hands-on training and a community dedicated to helping you complete your first real-estate project. Project X was developed with one of the world’s leading property investment gurusRobert Shemin. ‘Learning by doing’ step-by-step instruction, coupled with mentors and collaborations among like-minded learners takes real estate from beginners to Pro investors. Project X’s live online events, meetups, real estate and GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
entrepreneurship skill sets and access to a global network of real estate investors, supports property investment, from start to finish. 3. BUY SHARES OF DIVIDEND PAYING COMPANIES Owning dividend-yielding stocks can be one of the most passive forms of making money. Shareholders in companies with dividend-yielding stocks receive a payment at regular intervals from the company. Companies pay cash dividends on a quarterly basis out of their profits, and all you need to do is own the stock. Dividends are paid per share of stock, so the more shares you own, the higher your pay-out. The tricky part is choosing the right stocks as you’ve got to investigate each company’s website and be comfortable with their financial statements, but online trading mobile-apps such as DEGIRO allow you to open an account and trade online comparably cheaper than through traditional brokers, and provide ample tools for analysis and research. 4. AFFILIATE MARKETING Affiliate marketing is an income idea that requires you to have a website or platform you can use to promote other companies, or ‘affiliates’. When someone uses your affiliate link to purchase a product or sign up for a service, you get paid. Amazon might be the most well-known affiliate partner, but eBay, Awin and ShareASale are among the larger names, too. Affiliate marketing is considered passive because, in theory, you can earn money just by adding a link to your site or social media account. In reality, you won’t earn anything if you can’t attract readers to your GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
It can be one of the most passive forms of making money. site to click on the link and buy something. 5. SELL YOUTUBE ADS We’ve all heard about successful YouTubers, some as young as 4 years old, that are making millions from their videos. How do they do it? For every thousand impressions of an ad that is played per video, the Youtuber will get paid a certain amount of money. These can typically range between one to five dollars. YouTubers that attract significant volumes of followers may also receive kick-backs from promoting various merchandise and through affiliate links. 6. WRITE A BOOK OR A SONG Authors and composers who have written successful books and songs enjoy royalty income whenever their book sells or
their song is played on the radio/ online. Of course, your book or song must be very successful to earn significant royalties, but in today’s online world, e-books and digitalised music can be more easily distributed, giving your creation a target audience of many millions of people. For most people, passive income is just a supplementary cashflow to their day job, but if you really want passive income to become your primary source of wealth, get in touch and we can guide you on how to achieve this.
ERAN SHAY, Managing Director & AYELET MAMO SHAY, Business Development Director of Benefit Business Solutions Ltd. (+350) 200 73669 general@benefitgibraltar.com 17
business
SOCIO-ECONOMIC INCLUSION AS A MISSION. Post-COVID Hack 2020 - Partners RSK/IOVLabs.
BY DENISE MATTHEWS
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ith Gibraltar leading the way by introducing Distributed Ledger Technology Regulation back in January 2018, the nine principles of the regulation are firm whilst encouraging innovation. This made Gibraltar the jurisdiction of choice with Gibraltar Finance as Government partners of the post-COVID Hack 2020 organised by Coinsilium and Indorse. Having attracted some of the most reputable and serious businesses developing services and products for an international customer base was one of the driving factors for RSK, a leading blockchain development group, becoming the official Track Partners of the Hackathon. The chosen track is socioeconomic inclusion. It proposes several use cases, globally teams are invited to create innovative solutions to tackle issues brought upon us by the pandemic. With an understanding that these are important problems to solve at all times, solving them now, in the post-COVID era, will help marginalised communities at a time 18
of their greatest need. Helping them go from vulnerable to resilient. Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar the CEO of IOVLabs, which operates the RSK, RIF, and Taringa! platforms, is now a familiar face in Gibraltar. IOVLabs established its presence there in 2017 and have contributed educationally to the Professional Certificate of Competence at the University. Diego, an early evangelist of the technology was one of the pioneers of web development in Argentina and Latin America back in the 1990s and has played a leading role in fostering Blockchain technology and Bitcoin adoption in Latin America since 2012.
designed, and built. Its complementary platform, RSK Infrastructure Framework, takes these technologies to scale, simplifying the use of decentralised infrastructure for any traditional or Blockchain developer, organisation, or innovator. With help from IOVLabs platforms, the track partner of the postCOVID Hack, people everywhere will have the power to create digital identities, build reputations, establish and enforce agreements, and engage in commercial transactions without intermediaries. With a presence in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Shanghai, Singapore, an innovation studio in San Francisco, USA and headquarters in Gibraltar, IOVLabs is established globally.
"Solving them now will help marginalised communities at a time of their greatest need."
RSK, the first smart contract platform secured by the Bitcoin network, is transforming the way businesses are conceived,
IOV stands for Internet of Value, the concept of creating GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
business a chain that will share and transmit information freely. Within their mission is global financial freedom bringing the Internet of Value vision one step closer to realisation. They have identified that all over the world people’s interactions are different influenced by nationality, culture and background. However, inside the blockchain all interactions become equal. IOVLabs develops the blockchain technologies needed for a new global financial ecosystem; one that fosters opportunity, transparency, and trust, building low-cost, highly secure, easy-to-use platforms for the new global economy. As a business they have instilled their set of values within their operations model reflected in the company's actions, decisions and hiring process. Equality of opportunities; autonomy by encouraging independent and solutions-oriented thinking, entrepreneurship, and ownership; open and equal access to information, transparency, reliability and nurturing freedom and empowerment in alignment with common agreements.
equality. With tools to create and verify personal identity, establish and execute agreements, and engage in commercial transactions, now everyone has the chance to participate in a new economy.
"However, inside the blockchain all interactions become equal."
Welcome to the Internet of Value.” SOCIAL IMPACT PARTNERS BLOCKCHAIN 4 HUMANITY In March 2019 Blockchain for Humanity (bbH) and IOV Labs announced they were joining forces to promote greater transparency in social and environmental impact projects. The not-for-profit foundation, Blockchain for Humanity’s most significant endeavour is enabling communities and entrepreneurs to implement blockchain powered
IOVLabs is supporting the socio-economic inclusion track of the post-COVID Hack 2020. Given the high level of expertise and experience of the organisers Coinsilium and Indorse, the calibre and global reach of community and developer partners, it is clear that this initiative has presented an ideal opportunity aligned with their mission statement. “The internet has democratized knowledge and strengthened human connections, but millions of people still dream of financial GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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business solutions worldwide by offering its ecosystem of sponsors, mentors, partners, volunteers, investors and charitable donors to support selected projects and help them reach their next step of development and execution. The shared focus is on addressing inequality by improving the lives of many around the globe also enabling Bitcoin supporters to donate to their favorite impact projects on RSK. Co-founder of Blockchain for Humanity and Giveth, Grace Torrellas said of the partnership: “We have a shared vision with IOVLabs, striving towards a socially inclusive, positive-sum game. We believe that responsibly designed blockchain solutions can unlock transformative change in society and improve the lives of billions of people worldwide.” Today a post-COVID workforce makes collaborative innovation possible, hackathons serve to accelerate problem solving and thanks to the partners who have
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envisioned blockchain as the most inclusive technology available today the results of the postCOVID Hack are sure to provide benefits not just to financial services, but to society as a whole. “It is refreshing to see some of the philanthropic and ethical drivers behind the development of the technology and how
the technology has facilitated decentralised investment opportunities in projects that are ethically driven. It is a breath of fresh air in the world of finance.” Paul Astengo Senior Executive Gibraltar Finance For more information on the postCOVID Hack 2020 partners visit: postcovidhack.com/hackathon.
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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When the world seems upside down, you may just need a different perspective www.dolya.consulting info@dolya.consulting (+350) 2000 8052
DOLYA C O N S U L T I N G
THE SECRET OF BUSINESS The importance of the business concept, consistency in its development, and the element of luck.
I
s there a special secret in business that one can rely on in order to make a business idea successful? Yes and no, would probably be the right answer. The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows. Better said than done some may say, but that is surely a good way forward. And whilst not easy there are some fascinating opportunities out there waiting for some entrepreneur to take up and develop. In business, one must pick up the right idea and develop it until we create a successful venture. A lot of young people will say that the market is flooded with business enterprises and that competition is fierce out there. The answer to that is that competition has always been around. For centuries on end. And most likely our ancestors of the Middle Ages thought much the same. The digital field has changed the world, certainly, but new technologies are not new. It may have changed in different ways and at different times, but innovation has and will always be an important part of our world. So, the best and first step in business is to find a good concept 22
that has not been developed and could provide the market with a new product or service which is needed, or could be needed, by the final consumer.
This is without a doubt a way of finding a market niche. An old friend of mine, Ruperto, started a man-made all-weather material horse saddle factory in England in the 90s. The UK being a large market for riding and saddlery made it the perfect target, but people were used to traditional leather being used for saddlery - mostly handmade in the Midlands close to Birmingham. But Ruperto, being a keen Polo player, thought that the traditional saddle - whilst being beautiful and sometimes a lifelong product - needed maintenance as well as repairing and regular cleaning. He designed a clever product which had the great looks of a
traditional saddle but was almost maintenance-free and was far more comfortable and lighter for both rider and horse. He bought an old factory and turned it into a highly successful company selling his new saddles worldwide. And simultaneously he makes a different line of traditional leather saddles for the classic clientele. His quality and products are so good and established that he can well afford to bring new lines into production that will make its ways to different types of consumer. This is without a doubt a way of finding a market niche. One must either find a new idea or find a way to improve an existing product. Either of the two are excellent ways to succeed. CONSISTENCY It is quintessential in any business development to be consistent. Assuming the entrepreneur has picked up the right idea, he must be consistent not only in its development but in its day-today management. Nothing is more effective than consistency when it comes to making your company, or your results, stand GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Is there such thing as luck in business? out. And this rule simple as it may seem applies to everything in life. Sports, relationships and business included. Consistency is the habit that leads to successful businesses. Problems do come up all the time. And one has to adapt and reinvent things to cope with any unforeseen situations. But one must be productive in order to achieve success. In business like in so many other things in life if you are persistent you normally arrive. It is a little like the old story of The Tortoise and the Hare. It is consistency that makes the difference between winning or losing a race. In business it is of paramount importance. Is there such thing as luck in business? An important musician told me that a good part of his success was due to how lucky he had been throughout his musical career. ‘It is down to being in the right place at the right time’. He is a remarkable singer and guitarist but as he often points out, ‘there are hundreds of singers who are as good if not better than me’ but these competitors are not as consistent, and are probably not working hard enough to find their own luck by working their way up. Luck can be an extremely important factor, but it can only come along if you have all the right factors on your side. I still remember when James Goldsmith nearly went bankrupt aged 21 when his pharmaceutical business went through a bad economic downturn in France. One day before being declared GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
bankrupt, he sold his business to a competitor who saw the benefits of buying his slimming business laboratories at a reduced rate in order to enlarge his own business - and simultaneously he saved his competitor from bankruptcy. Was Sir James Goldsmith lucky? Indeed, he was. To the extent that he once told me it was a spectacular case of luck. But in my view, he had created a small pharmaceuticals empire and had grown too fast with all the plus and minuses of such a quick success. The fact remains that he had worked extremely hard to get there. He had been highly consistent, innovative and clever. His reward came out of his final sale which gave him the necessary capital to expand and create his vast empire. Was it luck, or was it something
else? The answer as it often happens has more than one side to the story. But ultimately, it is a case of being productive and consistent. And let luck come as bonus.
JORGE V.REIN PARLADE MBA Business Consultant +350 54045282 jorgeparlade@aol.com 23
business
Trendy new real estate agency HABiKONS brings fresh new vibe with unique London ambiance to Gibraltar. HABiKONS, with its iconic branding and smart, functional office, stands out as a modern and vibrant real estate agency providing a myriad of property buying, selling and rental solutions in Gibraltar. HABiKONS work closely with significant businesses, including the gaming industry, and their state of the art property portal empowers their clients to address various property needs with innovative online solutions. We thought it would be good to catch up with Noelle Aldorino, HABiKONS Office and Property Manager, to discuss the realities of opening an office in Gibraltar and providing a breath of fresh air in this competitive industry.
What attributes do HABiKONS have that sets them apart in the real estate industry? What drives us is our customers. We utilise a customer-driven approach with efficiency. We have a plan, and we stick to the program. At the start of each day, the team meet up to discuss timelines, deadlines, and we all have our daily tasks and goals. Starting each day with a focus motivates us to deliver on those promises we make to our clients. We are fortunate to have a trustworthy and loyal team; we all know the process, our responsibilities so that our clients can rest assured that we can meet their expectations. 24
How do you manage to grow in such a competitive industry? Firstly, we never underestimate the importance of SEO marketing in the real estate industry. Our website is developed in such a way to ensure maximum reach to customers wanting to buy, sell or rent properties. When we designed the website, we didn’t want a general website, but a professional site with a focus on pleasant aesthetics and functionalities, easy to navigate, quality content and distinct images. The feedback has been positive, with visitors repeatedly returning to the site to check out our regular features, dynamic content and fresh new properties.
Secondly, as a business, we stay proactive in the community. In Gibraltar, for example, there are so many opportunities to build our network with several business organisations, including the Federation of Small Businesses and Women in Business. The chances to meet key players from the same industry and related trades and businesses are unlimited, and this crucial aspect of networking and getting introductions is fundamental to HABiKONS. We ensure we know our industry inside out, we do our research and keep abreast of every aspect of the local market in terms of property development, valuations, supply and demand. Having an in-depth knowledge of our market ensures we retain GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
business our expertise to provide strategic advice to our clients. What would you say is the most rewarding component of the real estate industry?
You could say that HABiKONS offers the perfect solution for all your real estate needs. If you are considering putting your property on the market or if you are relocating to Gibraltar and looking
for that perfect piece of real estate, HABiKONS is more than ready to help you. Drop them a message or give them a call, full details on their website www.habikons.com.
Supporting our clients, especially those looking to relocate to Gibraltar. We proudly present ourselves as leaders in the field due to our knowledge of the real estate industry, coupled with excellent people skills. As already mentioned, we remain fully committed as a customer-driven business by putting the focus on problem-solving for our clients to ensure they get the best possible service. What are your expectations for Gibraltar’s housing market since COVID-19? We remain optimistic that we are going to have a flood of buyers and a healthy future for real estate for Gibraltar’s property marketplace. Gibraltar boasts one of the most favourable locations for families, individuals, businesses and entrepreneurs with its envious tax benefits, quality of life, travel infrastructure, agreeable climate, beaches, and amenities. For this reason, the buyers are still out there as we are receiving many enquiries, with sellers wanting to sell. So the plan is to continue through this period by creating interest via the HABiKONS website and growing our inventory of housing and matching sellers with vetted buyers. In addition, construction continues, along with the excitement of luxury new properties in the pipeline from esteemed property developers in Gibraltar, especially The Reserve, Midtown and Quay 31. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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life HEARTS OF GIBRALTAR Talking to Sanjay Nankani...
BY ROMINA MAYANI NANKANI, CYE-CYL
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his will have to be one interview that I’m slightly nervous about, but at the same time super proud to conduct. I have been very involved in part of this person’s journey for over 13 years. Needless to say it’s been life changing, challenging, funny, emotional and sometimes slightly irritating. But with all that concoction, I couldn’t be more honoured to have witnessed him become the man he currently is.
this). He is my husband and I may be obliged to say nice things, but truth be told I think readers would appreciate reading his story like all the other fantastic interviews written for The Gibraltar Magazine and those that are yet to come.
Sanjay Nankani, to me is a superhero (who by the way would tailor make an outfit after reading
His eyes wide open in slight shock, “Wow! You’re going to talk about me? And no editing? So I was born
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“You know I want to share your story, but I want you to take centre stage here and narrate - what experiences have shaped you to who you are?”
and lived in Nigeria throughout my childhood and teenage years. My parents had migrated from India in the late 60s. I was your typical ‘play outside all day, with all the neighbourhood children’ kind of kid. I always included everyone and laughed my way through everything. I did have some difficulties (which took a toll on me in later years), but the simplicity of life shaped me to appreciate everything and never to think I was more than anyone because of my family’s financial status. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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"The diversity of cultures made me eager to learn more, it was invigorating but also daunting." “We lived through some years of political and military unrest and were forced to emigrate to other countries for a short period of time. My family had to set up base a few times in Spain, India, and the UK. That is where the diversity of cultures made me eager to learn more and integrate into different communities. I came back to Lagos, Nigeria after being in Spain, and felt very different to the young lad who once grew up there. It was invigorating but also daunting and affected my attention to concentrate academically. Didn’t stop me though! I decided to emerge into the world of running and began training as early as 5am almost everyday. I competed a lot and very humbly can say, won quite a few good runs until the age of 18.”
(he actually says this! We are the Hopeless Romantic versus Ice Queen love birds). As you remember, the economic crisis hit Spain in 2008 and by 2009 I got an opportunity to move back to Lagos. You were so supportive throughout. You would travel back and forth, adapting and yes getting very angry at me when you would get lost in different places. But let me add, it was through my new job that I was given the opportunity to get back into education and earn qualifications in business development. I was 35! And I never thought I would have ever been able to get a certificate let alone an entire qualification. I ventured to other countries working different projects and when time was up in my lovely African continent, I
joined you and Nooriya back here in Gibraltar. “So here comes the interesting bit for everyone reading. And I’m going to probably get people a little uncomfortable especially those who know me well. I had a lot of highs and lows in life and I could never speak to anyone. If I did, the culture I grew up I was one of ‘don’t worry about it now, it will go away’ responses. I don’t blame anyone for my difficulties and struggles to cope, but I decided this method of coping won’t serve me. “Around 7 years ago, I suffered from severe depression from not being able to deal with certain events in my life. It’s only when
He paused for a few seconds and smiled, “I forgot how ambitious and persevering I was since a young age. Well Romi you know my educational side didn’t go great and I didn’t pursue college. Instead, my parents thought best that I leave Nigeria and begin working in Spain with an uncle and build myself up work wise and financially. It was tough. I was a young lad in a new place with no friends and had to work hard. I am very grateful even though I wasn’t happy at the time, but today I believe it was the step I needed to get to where I am. Fast forward a few years, I got married to you my sweet pea GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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life I got very low and questioned whether life was worth living that you, my sweet pea, took the drastic decision to fly us from Ghana (where I was working at the time), to India and get the help I needed. It was a work in progress but I was determined to help myself and receive the help from the doctors and counsellors at the time. I worked hard and believed that I had what it takes to change my life and help others to live better and know they are
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worth it. Life still has its obstacles but the perception and approach I have to dealing with these challenges makes solutions appear sporadically. “I am happy to live in such beautiful place like Gibraltar. Just last year I began running again thanks to the encouragement and support of amazing friends. In January 2020, I joined two very dear friends of mine and ran my first 21 km marathon in Seville.
And that is just the beginning! I encourage people to take up sports, arts, dance anything that liberates them and allows them to free themselves from their thought patterns and often self-limiting beliefs. Our power is limitless and I have always been and will continue to be an advocate to heal oneself and then help heal others. Together we can change the world one helping hand at a time.� Sanjay Nankani.
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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GONE WITH THE WIND IN A HAIL OF BULLETS
Olivia de Havilland died of natural causes on July 26th at the age of 104. At the time of her death she was the oldest living Hollywood celebrity and was famous for her beauty, acting talent, her two Oscars for Best Actress and her star performance in the classic movie Gone with the Wind.
BY REG REYNOLDS
W
hen Gone with the Wind was released in 1939 it was at the time the finest movie ever made. The acting, with Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel and de Havilland was superb, but the behind-the-scenes technologists and designers were also masters of their crafts providing, the lighting, the sound, the costumes, the sets and the wonderful colour film, far beyond anything ever seen before. Very few movies today, eighty years on, can compare in the quality of production. The producer of this masterpiece of film was Darryl O. Zanuck. It was directed by Victor Fleming and George Cukor from a screenplay by Sidney Howard and based on the novel of the same name written by Margaret Mitchell. Gone with the Wind received 13 nominations for the 1940 Academy Awards and won 8 30
Oscars. The 22-year-old de Havilland was nominated for Best Supporting Actress but lost to 47-year-old Hattie McDaniel the first African American to win an Oscar. What has all this to do with Gibraltar, you might well ask? Well in the movie de Havilland had the role of Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, wife of Ashley Wilkes, played by British actor Leslie Howard who was killed by the Germans when the plane he was a passenger in was shot down. The KLM passenger plane was attacked by a squadron of Junkers Ju 88 fighter bombers over the Bay of Biscay. All thirteen passengers and four crew perished. The plane was flying from Lisbon to Whitchurch, UK, but a few days earlier Howard had secretly visited Gibraltar. It was a bright warm morning, June 1st, 1943, when the Dutch KLM DC 3, operated by BOAC, took off from Lisbon Airport.
Scheduled airline service between Britain and neutral Portugal had continued throughout World War II. The unarmed commercial airliners often saw German fighter planes but so long as they maintained their course and made no threatening moves, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
they travelled unmolested. There had been a couple of attacks by individual fighter planes but prior to this flight there had been no injuries or deaths. The plane was clearly marked, and the passenger list included a mother and her two daughters, one eleven and the other 18 months, some businessmen and entertainers and the actor Leslie Howard and his accountant Albert Chenhalls. The crew had made the same journey twice weekly for more than three years. Why did the Germans do it? That was the question asked around Britain and America when the news of the tragedy was released four days after the attack. The official German explanation was that the Junkers squadron had been sent to protect two U-boats in the area, and although they were not under specific orders, it was their ‘duty to attack any Allied aircraft’. The real reason, however, was that Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels despised Leslie Howard, who had a patriotic BBC radio program where he often poked fun at Goebbels, Hitler and other members of the Nazi hierarchy. Another suspected reason for the attack was the presence of Howard’s friend and accountant Albert Chenhalls. The stocky Chenhalls had an uncanny resemblance to the Prime Minister, including a balding pate and a considerable paunch. He smoked the same cigars and wore a bowler hat. When Howard boarded the flight at Lisbon he was returning from a promotional tour of Portugal and Spain. Gibraltar was not part of his government approved agenda, but we know he visited the Rock because U.S. Navy Captain Harry GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
C. Butcher, Aide-deCamp to General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote about seeing Howard and Chenhalls on the airport runway at Gibraltar in his book My Three Years with Eisenhower. He also commented on the subsequent attack on the Lisbon flight. “This plane had carried, among other passengers, the actor, Leslie Howard, but the British learned
The enemy, taking no chances, attacked the transport. through secret channels that the Germans had shot the plane down because they believed Prime Minister Churchill was aboard. Just before take-off from the airport, the enemy had received information to the effect that a heavy-set man, wearing a bowler hat and smoking a big black cigar, had boarded the plane. The enemy, taking no chances, attacked the transport.” Coincidentally, at the time of the downing of the aircraft Churchill was scheduled to be flying home from a meeting with Eisenhower in North Africa. Churchill believed the theory that spies had mistaken Chenhalls for himself and wrote about the incident in his memoires: "The brutality of the Germans was only matched by the stupidity of their agents. It is difficult to understand how anyone could
imagine that with all the resources of Great Britain at my disposal I should have booked a passage in an unarmed and unescorted plane from Lisbon and flown home in broad daylight.” As it was, Churchill had delayed his departure for a few days. He did travel back to Britain via Gibraltar on the evening of June 4th, 1943 in a Consolidated B-24 transport arriving in Britain the next morning. Howard was 50 years old and the first of the major stars of Gone with the Wind to die. All but de Havilland died relatively young. Hattie McDaniel was 59 when she succumbed to breast cancer on October 26th, 1952. Vivian Leigh, winner of Best Actress for her portrayal of Scarlet O’Hara, was 53 when she collapsed and died of tuberculosis complications on July 8th, 1967 and Clark Gable, winner of Best Actor for his Rhett Butler role, was 59 when he died of a heart attack on November 16th, 1960. Olivia de Havilland won many awards in her illustrious career. She appeared on Broadway, on television and in 49 feature films. She was nominated for an Academy Award five times and won Best Actress twice for To Each His Own and The Heiress. She had lived in Paris since 1960. 31
life
5 YEARS STRONG
Louis Baldachino celebrates his 5-year survivor anniversary since being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2015, despite having been given just 2-6 months to live.. Here he shares his story of how he never lost hope.
BY LOUIS BALDACHINO THE DIAGNOSIS
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his time 5 years ago I was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and was basically facing a 2 to 6-month chance of survival according to statistics. The diagnosis was clearly heading towards having the worst possible outcome. Statistics showed that the overall 5-year survival rate (for all stages) was only 5%. It was simply a terrifying prospect! I still now find it emotional and frightening to read the diagnosis of the CUN (Clinica Universidad de Navarra) Pamplona medical report. At the time of my diagnosis, I still had a young family and it was obviously the most difficult time of my life. I remember I just cried my eyes out every day for the following couple of weeks! But I also remember taking the most important decision of my life – that I was never going to lose hope and I was never going to let this horrible disease win the battle. 32
The following 5 years of my life after my diagnosis is the story I want to share with others. I would like to use my experience and faith throughout these years to add my grain of sand and inspire, in any way possible, other people to stay determined, positive and to never lose hope in whatever
I was facing a 2 to 6-month chance of survival. health issue they may have to fight. In July 2015 in the context of a pulmonary thromboembolism and bilateral deep vein thrombosis I was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer with advanced pancreatic ducal adenocarcinoma which had already infiltrated the spleen, abdominal cavity, left adrenal gland and gastric wall.
UNDERGOING TREATMENT On 3rd August 2015 I started chemotherapy treatment following the Folfoxiri scheme for 3 months ending in October 2015. This was followed by 1 month of chemoradiotherapy from 28th October to 27th November. Scans done in early December showed he tumor had incredibly shrunk over 50% and the possibility of surgery became a reality! I kept reminding myself, never lose hope. In January 2016 the 10hour surgery was carried out (distal pancreatectomy, partial gastrectomy, splenectomy, and left adrenalectomy). With surgery, the survival chances did increase but still the overall forecast was depressing. Post-surgery revaluation revealed lesions in the retro umbilical and prevesical regions. For the next 10 months I was treated with 3 different intravenous chemotherapy treatments (carried out in CUN Pamplona and Madrid) but blood analysis and scans showed that the disease did ‘not go away’. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
life PARTICIPATING IN A CLINICAL TRIAL Things got worse in October 2017 as scans and other tests confirmed peritoneal progression of the disease. After much careful analysis of the findings and the very limited possibilities in the way forward I opted to participate in an immunotherapy clinical trial. On the 6th November 2017 I received the first dose within the context of the clinical trial which continued until November 2019. The clinical trial entailed weekly dose/treatment to be carried out in CUN in Pamplona. This, of course, meant the very long traveling every week for 2 years to Pamplona (normally treatment was done on Mondays, so I travelled on Sundays to Pamplona, blood analysis/other tests done on Monday mornings followed by the actual treatment and travelling back later on Monday). Between 25th September and 16th October 2019 residual disease which persisted in the upper intestines area was successfully treated by radiosurgery. Treatment as part of the clinical trial ended on 14th November, after which I presently continue immunotherapy maintenance treatment ever three weeks. MANAGING OTHER HEALTH ISSUES AND COMPLICATIONS Apart from what I went through specifically for the various treatments and pancreatectomy surgery for the pancreatic cancer, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
I unfortunately had to overcome many other obstacles and setbacks. To put things in perspective about the enormity of other related health issues I have also had to face during these past 5 years would be too long to describe in detail, but I would summarise as follows: Three major surgeries had to be carried out, including ‘SugarBaker’ surgery (August 2016) intestinal bypass (September 2017) and embolisation of intestinal hemorrhage (October 2015). Six minor surgeries were also carried out to remove lesions in the abdominal wall area. Primary adrenal crisis within episode of influenza (March 2016).
Septic shock (September 2018) caused by intense cellulitis in the lower extremities affecting the legs. It was immensely and desperately tough to say the least, but I remained absolutely determined to never lose hope. LIFE AFTER TREATMENT Despite all that I have endured, I could not be a happier person today. The many positives I have experienced, so many happy moments and emotions that are too difficult or impossible to put 33
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into words. The amount love and support from my family, friends, my work place management and work colleagues seems to have been endless. I have the opportunity to revive lost or dormant friendships and family relationships. The opportunity to meet incredible medical professionals. The opportunity to realise how lucky I have been to work with an incredibly caring management team and wonderfully supportive colleagues. The opportunity to realise how lucky we are to live in Gibraltar and have the support of the GHA and it’s various departments. The opportunity to reaffirm how lucky I am to have such a wonderful wife in Tamara and incredibly strong sons and daughter - Louis, Karl, and Madison. In fact, the positives possibly outweigh all that I have gone through these past 5 years! Many people from all walks of life have approached me to congratulate me for my ‘courage, determination, and positive attitude’ and in some cases even expressed that I have helped them to fight their own health issues. 34
My response is simply to never lose hope. SUBTITLE: REACHING THE 5-YEAR MILESTONE I do not have enough words to describe the absolutely top professionals in CUN Pamplona. Thanks to them I am here today. A quote I was told by CUN Oncologist Dra. Leire Arbea Moreno in May last year, perhaps highlights the magical success in reaching the pancreatic cancer 5 year survival milestone: “Louis, you are one of our miracles of the 21st century!” (“Louis, eres uno de nuestros milagros del Siglo 21!”)
of the clinical trial I am now enjoying and living a near-normal life, just further evidence in what I have always believed since I was diagnosed of this horrible disease way back in 2015 - always keep fighting and believing! Pancreatic cancer facts and overall survival rates are still just frightening to read: 1-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 26%, 5-year survival rate is now 7.9% (was 5% in 2015 but still has the lowest 5-year survival rate of any of the 22 common cancers), 10-year survival of the disease is 1%, meaning only around 1 in 100 people survive 10 years and beyond!
In CUN’s quarterly issued news magazine March 2020 edition as part of a 16-page report on the advances being achieved with immunotherapy and clinical trials featured an interview with me to highlight my ‘success story’ to date.
It’s easy to guess that my next goal is the 10-year survival milestone! Hopefully it will not be as complicated and tough as reaching the 5-year survival milestone, but come what may I will be keep determined, positive and strong and of course…
Thanks to the excellent results
Never lose hope! GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
life
A ZOOKEEPERS DIARY e Vallete th
It’s a wild life!
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ife at the Alameda Wildlife Conservation Park (AWCP) has been busier than ever since reopening to the public after the pandemic. One of the first visitors the Wildlife Park received at the end of lockdown was a camera crew from GBC to start filming for a six-part series about life at the zoo. Producer, James Murphy, had planned just a four-part series, but after meeting the team and the animals at the AWCP he decided there was plenty of scope for a few more episodes. The Wild Side was first aired on the 21st July, with the first episode focusing on life during lockdown for the animals and staff at the zoo. It also featured the parks Lockdown World Otter Day, also aired live on Facebook throughout the day. Subsequent episodes of The Wild Side feature the AWCP’s GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
talented keepers demonstrating their skills at animal training, enrichment and welfare for the animals and introducing the true stars of the show… the animals! Since the end of lockdown, the AWCP has also seen the (much delayed) arrival of a new member of staff. Mike Paricos applied for the role of animal keeper way back in February. He was selected for the role just a couple of weeks before lockdown and was due to start work at the end of April. But the worldwide pandemic had other ideas. Mike had finished a seasonal role at Longleat Safari Park, after starting his career at another, up and coming small zoo in the UK, WILD Zoological Park in the West Midlands. Mike is the cherry on the top of a fantastic and skilled keeper team at the Wildlife Park. Since his much awaited arrival in July, he has taken on the role of
pig Potbellied
small mammal keeper and is also working with primate keeper, Nic Campbell with the Long-tailed macaques. One of the few perks of lockdown was that Neil Grey, employed as a temporary Keeper at the park, was able to continue to work a for few months longer, filling the role whilst Mike was stuck in the UK. Neil joined the AWCP as an intern back in 2017. After six months volunteering, he was offered a temporary role in the Botanic Gardens to train in the maintenance department. After a year, he was drafted back the the Wildlife Park to utilise his maintenance skills and to give him the opportunity to gain more crucial experience as a zoo keeper. After the brave decision to change his career from chef to zoo keeper later on in life, Neil will need as much experience as he can get to 35
life Egyptian fruit bats
as training animals and providing enrichment. It’s time to prepare the food for the animals. Nutrition is an important part of keeping an animal healthy, something the park takes very seriously. But it has taken a while to perfect the diets for some of the animals. New recruits are shown how to weigh out the correct diets. ‘Everything we feed our animals is weighed out, this maintains consistency in the animals diets. In the past, when we had only a couple of staff members, we all knew the quantities by sight. As the team grew, it became clear we needed a more precise presentation of the diets to stop them drifting’ says Jess. Diet sheets hung up in the food prep kitchen help new recruits and volunteers to manage the animals diets, as well as providing a handy reminder to keepers when drafted on to other sections of the zoo.
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compete in the competitive world of zoo keeping. New recruits at the AWCP go through a period of intensive training. It is imperative that they are familiar with all routines, protocols and animal species in the park as on the weekends, there are only two members of staff onsite. Most keepers will be given a weekend shift just 4-5 weeks after they start the role, so they have to learn quickly. With such a small team, the training of new volunteers, interns and staff is an important job, usually carried out by senior staff. However, with a plethora of other tasks, it can be difficult for senior staff to provide the consistency and time required. Training is also an inset and learned skill, something Nic Campbell exhibited early on. ‘We noticed early on that Nic had a fantastic knack for training new interns and volunteers’ says manager, Jess Leaper. With a background in training students at a zoological training center, Nic is well qualified to carry out this important task. It is also incredibly helpful for Nic to have volunteers trained well on her section, as this gives her more time to spend on other important tasks such 36
Mike has worked with a variety species before, including big cats and other potentially dangerous species. At the Wildlife Park there are a few species that can be considered dangerous - often referred to as Category 1 animals. Rather surprisingly, the Asian short-clawed otters are one such species. These cute and seemingly ‘cuddly’ creatures actually have immensely strong jaws, designed for crunching through shellfish and bones. Thankfully, the two
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female otters at the AWCP have generally been pretty friendly towards staff, so Keepers are able to safely go inside the enclosures and work with them. Another surprising Category 1 species is the Potbellied pigs. There are three male pigs, or ‘boars’, at the park and they can sometimes be a little aggressive and unpredictable. For this reason, those animals deemed unsafe to work in with have to be shifted out of the enclosure whilst the keepers clean. At the AWCP, enrichment and stimulation for the animals is imperative. The park is just an acre in size, so the enclosures are not large, but staff work hard to keep the animals as enriched as possible. Since taking on the Egyptian fruit bats, Mike has set about creating a new dynamic inside the two bat enclosures. By gradually adding more ropes and branches and moving things around, he is adding complexity and stimulation for the animals. As these bats navigate in the dark using echolocation, any changes should be detected - however, like humans, bats can become lazy and tend to assume they know the environment they are familiar with. For this reason, changes should be made slowly to reduce the chances of collision and injury to the bats fragile wings.
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Since reopening the park after lockdown, the bats and potbellied pigs have been closed off to the visitors, but not for the reasons people might fear. It is nothing to do with the potential link between bats and COVID19, but in fact due to the heavy plastic curtains visitors would have to touch to GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
life enter the bat area. This presented a potential transmission site for the virus, not just to other visitors but also to staff. The decision was taken to keep this area closed for the foreseeable future, until it is deemed safe. The plus side being, Mike has plenty of time to transform these areas before they are revealed again to the visiting public, hopefully in the not to distant future.
Mike feeding the Common marmosets2
Afternoons at the AWCP are all about getting those extra, and often heavy, jobs done. Before lockdown, the Botanic Gardens team delivered three ton bags of soil for the park. This was going to be distributed throughout some of the enclosures in need of some new substrate, notably the Potbellied pigs. But with just two staff on each day throughout lockdown, this was not a job for this time. Mike has therefore inherited a mammoth task!
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Pigs love to wallow, and they love rooting around in mud and soil. After years of cleaning the enclosures, the soil in the pig pen has depleted somewhat and was in desperate need of replenishment. On a hot August day, Mike set about the task with relish, helped by some volunteers and keepers. The team effort was rewarded by happy pigs rooting for their buried snacks, inadvertently doing their bit, helping the keepers to spread the soil around the enclosure. To find out more about the AWCP, check out their Facebook/ Instagram page, watch The Wild Side on gbc.gi, or visit www.awcp.gi. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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scene
UNLOCKING LIVE MUSIC IN GIBRALTAR
Whilst stuck in the UK during lockdown, I wondered what local musicians on The Rock were doing in their lockdown. I was soon to find out, as, after an exchange of emails to a very helpful Stuart Green at the GoG Press Office, I found myself being allowed to fly to Gibraltar to investigate further. As it turned out the letter that would have allowed me to board the plane at Heathrow was no longer needed as the Gibraltar Government had allowed nonresidents entry a couple of days previously. BY CLAIRE SPENCER
A
fter a smooth flight from an almost deserted Terminal 5, there was the usual excitement as The Rock was spotted from the starboard side as the plane winged its way past Europa Point with the lighthouse standing like a lonely red and white sentinel on the southernmost point of the peninsular. Soon, after a series of well-practised choreographed turns, we found ourselves levelling up to approach the runway, with the cars stopped by the barriers as if to pay homage to our arrival, as we came to a halt opposite the sheer limestone face of the North Front.
David Diaz and Rick Astley
Incredibly, I had my first live music experience as I stepped off the bus and walked through the hallowed arches leading into Casemates Square, with the colourful sunshades of the bars 38
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
music OLLI
"He has worked tirelessly to build up the Rock on the Rock club to be a focal point for musicians."
The two Steves told me that they had been talent spotted by someone who was suitably impressed with their performance, and that he had recommended them to the owner of the Cabana beach bar in Camp Bay who had offered them a regular spot as well as keeping an eye on the place after it was closed of a night. And so the unlikely pair of Steves, one from West Lothian in Scotland and the other from Uttoxeter in Staffordshire were rebranded as ‘The Night Watchmen’ for their newfound venue. Scottish Steve writes a lot of his own material, whilst The Staffordshire version plays a GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
wide selection of popular covers, interspersed with witty banter. I strolled over to Camp Bay one evening a couple of weeks later to see them play, and, handily equipped with a Mojito, served by a very friendly lady called Houda, I was treated to a very entertaining set with a similar mix of music as before. Houda is certainly multitalented; as well as making the most delicious cocktails, she joined popular local singer Surianne a few nights later to sing ‘Hotel California’. The Cabana is surely the ideal setting to watch the sun sink slowly in the west, seemingly setting the sky on fire and turning the clouds brilliant shades of vermilion. As I walked home, I passed a very
Scottish Steve
fluttering like so many flags in a victory parade. Here, a couple of buskers had set up their gear, and were giving an impromptu performance to all who would lend an ear. I sat on a bench where I heard a few covers, most notably by Jamaica’s most illustrious son, Bob Marley, with a bit of Pink Floyd thrown into the mix, along with The Kinks and Rolling Stones for good measure. The unassuming buskers, keeping the live music flag flying gave their names as Steve and Steve respectively, taking it in turns to entertain those sitting the square with a rather nice portable sound system.
busy Piccadilly Gardens where OLLI (Their name stands for ‘One Life Live It’) were playing a lively set. This was one of the many gigs put on by The Musicians Association of Gibraltar, run by Steven Noni Belilo. In fact, MAG, as they are known for short, also put on live music at many other venues locally including The Cabana Bar, The Dolphin Bar and Rock on the Rock. One place that MAG had featured very heavily for live streamed gigs was My 39
music Wines on Chatham Counterguard, where only a couple of weeks previously, celebrated Gibraltarian musician Jonathan Sacremento, or ‘Sac,’ as he is known locally, had featured his newly released album The Wooden Street. One lunchtime I met up with David J Diaz who runs The Gibraltar Live Music Society at his ‘office’ - otherwise known as Latinos. David, who works at the Panorama, comes from a musical family, and has had quite an amazing career to date. He told me that getting to work at Panorama reviewing music events on The Rock was a dream come true for him. It was a wonderful to hear the roll of honour of the famous musicians he’d interviewed in his career to date, including Gibraltar’s most famous son, Albert Hammond. David explained that it all started with a podcast six years ago entitled Inspired where he’d interviewed local musicians including X Factor winner Sam Bailey when she visited Gibraltar.
not be an understatement to say that music ran rich in his veins as David excitedly explained that Hector Cortes had been enrolled in the Gibraltar Music Hall of Fame, which is a Gibraltar Live Music Society initiative backed by Gibraltar Cultural Services. He went on to explain that Gibraltar Cultural Services invest heavily in promoting local talent. David Diaz proved to be a veritable goldmine of useful information on the music scene here on The Rock, and The Gibraltar Live Music Society are definitely at the forefront of some fine live music events around town and are well worth supporting: their Facebook page has lots of info on what’s happening on the Rock.
"He did muse over the possibility of a gig outside of O’Reilly’s."
They say like father like son, and this rings very true in David’s case; before his father retired, he played drums and percussion with The Royal Gibraltar Regiment, whilst his son most certainly is passionate about music. David went on to explain the different influences in his life that have made such a big impression on him from the late Hector Cortes, former music teacher at St. Anne’s and leader of The Calpe Singers, to the life-changing epiphany that was Melon Diesel. It would 40
One place that came as absolutely no surprise that were putting on live music again was the prodigious Rock on the Rock Club on Town Range ably run by Alan Alman, who most famously was awarded the British Empire Medal a few years back. There were some interesting acts already booked for August when I called by one evening, including most notably another well-known local musician, Sista Dee, who told me that she’d managed to get to play a few live sets during lockdown. Alan Alman didn’t get honoured by the Queen for services to music in Gibraltar for no good reason, as he has worked tirelessly to build up the Rock on the Rock club to be a really worthy focal point for musicians here in Gibraltar.
It isn’t just to listen to music that you might call by ROTR club for either, as lockdown gave birth to The Taste of Persia restaurant and takeaway, started by Lili Olivera, cooking food from home in the early days of lockdown for home delivery. Alan so liked the idea that he bought Lili and Taste of Persia on board at the Rock on the Rock, where you can order delicious food with many tempting vegan options at lunchtime as well as the evenings and gig nights. Whilst the establishments mentioned have live music on outside, at the time of writing Gibraltar hasn’t returned to normal, as big events like Gibraltar Calling have been cancelled and the ever-popular live jam at The Lord Nelson can’t take place because of the need to socially distance. In my wanderings around town I had run into Trevor Emmett, the bass player with Thrifty Malone, who was sat outside his usual live venue of The Lord Nelson one sunny evening with the swifts swooping and screaming like little black scimitars. Trevor told me he had absolutely no idea of when we’d hear Thrifty Malone next, a view shared by their guitarist Alan Jenkins, who I caught doing an online quiz night at Nelsons a few days later, though he did muse over the possibility of a gig outside of O’Reilly’s at some point. Hopefully it won’t be too long before normality returns and music lovers all over Gibraltar will be able to enjoy seeing their favourite musicians again without any restrictions. Claire has donated her fee for this article to Charles Trico's appeal to help disadvantaged children in Morocco. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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THE WHITE LIGHT THEATRE When was it established, who by, what for, who is it comprised of today?
BY SOPHIE CLIFTON-TUCKER
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hat is the White Light Theatre?
White Light Theatre was originally known as 'Buds', a small afterschool drama club, founded by Jackie Villa back in 1994. Initially, they held weekly sessions in the small St Anne's school hall to learn drama techniques and skills in a fun setting, produced school plays and participated in the Gibraltar Drama Festival. After a period of dormancy (when Jackie was raising her children), it was revived in 2013 and classes resumed. The name change came later, in 2015, when she felt it was necessary to move away from a school-based club to cater for an increased membership. Jackie registered the group with GCS under its new name, and enlisted the help of Andrew Dark. Together, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, they adapted Rebecca Faller's Civil Garrison, writing and publishing the award-winning historical drama Llévame Donde Nací, a play to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Evacuation. In 2018, once again 42
fully supported by GoG, they co-wrote and produced The Winds of Change, a play which outlined the events leading up to the 1967 Referendum. Both were performed to sold-out audiences. They were also the first theatre group to use the GADA Studio to produce a smaller, more intimate show with their adult actors in the Tony Award-winning Doubt by John Patrick Shanley.
White Light Theatre's motto is 'We produce to give back' Their youth group has participated in the Drama Festival many times, gathering much praise and nominations for their work from several adjudicators and picking up a few prizes to include Best Supporting Youth Actor (Michael Porter) and Adjudicator Award (for Hoodie). Their last production, Distorted, was devised and then performed by them. It ended up
being nominated for Best Original Play and Best Supporting Youth Actress (Jodie Ferrar). Encouraged to give back to the community, the group contributed to GCS' 2019 World Book Day, performing Harry Potter. For a couple of years, with the help of the Ministry of Culture and monies from their own fundraising events, Jackie has accompanied students to the prestigious West End Stage summer school to take part in a week of performing arts classes, culminating in a performance at Her Majesty's Theatre in Central London. Over the past few years, White Light Theatre has strived to create opportunities for actors to be challenged and learn new styles of theatre. They value and enjoy bringing both adult and youth actors on stage together, as in their Halloween 2019 The Children of Catalan Bay which was performed in the style of an old time Radio Show from the 1940s. Using local directors, actors, writers and technicians, they promote and teach both youth and adults in the dramatic arts. White Light Theatre's motto is 'We produce to GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
scene their younger age-group, led by Harry Kumar and Kerry Marriott in their directorial debut. The Seniors then moved on to Sophocles' classic tale of inescapable fate, Oedipus Rex, adapted by Ellen Mclaughlin and directed by Jackie Villa. This is a serious play for any actor, with its challenging but beautifully lyrical and poetic text. Met with initial apprehension by the older students, it was important to Jackie that during their preparation they not only understood every word, made informed choices, delivered their lines with crystal-clear clarity, but that they performed with heart and mind. In an intimate and pleasant theatre-supper atmosphere, with Lawrence Wilson catering a Greekinspired menu, Dionysus was truly well-served by these courageous performers.
Aladdin for GCS
What plans did COVID ruin? give back', so all their productions are gauged to either educate, raise awareness or give monies to local charities. White Light Theatre is well known for its small-group and more intimate, familyfeel set up. However, they are attracting interest and are quickly expanding. They currently offer classes for Juniors ages 8-10, Youth ages 11-13 and Seniors ages 14+, along with Ladies' workshops. As from September 2020, students will be able to register and sign up for classes comprising of Voice and Breathing, led by Kaigan Garcia, Vocal led by Rachel Payas, Choreography led by Tracy Hook (from Stylos Dance School) and Acting led by Jackie Villa and Kat Sanguinetti. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
What were you working on pre-COVID? Barely a month before Gibraltar went into lockdown, in late February this year, White Light Youth were able to present two Greek plays in their production
"This is a serious play for any actor." An Evening with White Light at the newly-opened Theatre Cafe. Over many months their young actors had studied, explored and absorbed the classic style from Ancient Greece, looking back to the very roots of modern theatre, and making it their own. Pandora's Fire was delightfully performed by
Straight after their Greek plays, the youth actors immediately started rehearsals on an adaptation of Aladdin for GCS World Book Day at the Mackintosh Hall. A call from GCS just a day before their performance brought the bad news that the event was cancelled. This was the first COVID-related blow for White Light. As chance would have it (or call it serendipity), Jackie had made the tough decision to opt out of this year's Drama Festival so they could concentrate on the Greek plays 3-nighter event. Little did they know at the time that this was ultimately a good decision for the group, as the 2020 Drama Festival was subsequently cancelled due to the pandemic. UK-based director and teacher Mitch Mitchelson from Fourth Monkey Productions had also 43
Welcoming our audience - Greek plays
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The chorus - Oedipus Rex
liaising with GCS under their been programmed to visit Gibraltar in early June and hold specialist commedia dell'arte workshops with the students. This too had to be postponed due to COVID.
Education Programme to invite Mitch Mitchelson over at the end of September, so he can reach out to a larger number of actors, old and young, and share his techniques.
How have they adapted post-COVID?
All going well, White Light Youth shall be performing Aladdin and The Canterbury Tales in the open courtyard outside Theatre Cafe, beneath Inces Hall, in early October.
Recruiting actor Kaigan Garcia to help out, the youth and senior students resumed classes after lockdown, following strict COVIDsafety recommendations. For Jackie, it seemed natural and safe to work on monologues and spoken word poetry, keeping to social distancing guidelines. Over a number of sessions, the students were able to discuss ideas, research others' work, analyse style and content, write their thoughts and share their teenage voices. Jackie calls their work Chicken Soup for a Teenage Soul, with plans to perform these pieces towards the end of the year.
A message from White Light Theatre. Whilst accepting that COVID is still
very much present and remaining extremely realistic, Jackie states that it doesn't hurt to dream and plan ahead. If Plan A doesn't work out, there's still another 25 letters in the alphabet. In the meantime, the students are still learning, still socialising, laughing and venting their concerns. She wants to show her students that by making responsible choices our lives can, and must, go on. Theatre is an ideal platform to forget all our worries for an hour or two, a place where we can escape to during these scary and uncertain times. Jocasta dies
The seniors, led by Jackie and Kaigan, started working on a delightful adaptation of The Canterbury Tales by Martin Riley, written to be performed in the commedia style. Jackie is 44
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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TAKING THE STAGE Kaigan Garcia’s dramatic homecoming.
BY ELENA SCIALTIEL
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wenty-six-year-old Kaigan Garcia is cast as the teenage intern at a busy helpline in the dramedy You Stupid Darkness! being staged this September under Daniel Strain-Webber’s direction. “I am playing Joey who is just seventeen, and at his first work experience: shy, awkward and uncomfortable with his new tasks. But because it isn’t confirmed that I convincingly suit that age, the director might upgrade my character to his early twenties, without stripping his essential qualities,” Kaigan says. “Joey entertains an iffy relationship with his estranged father, who happens to live just downstairs from Joey and his mum, and they often hear him play the piano.” Kaigan can partly relate to this, since he had a ‘somewhat turbulent’ relationship with his father when he was younger. Furthermore, Joey develops a complex relationship with his new male colleague, thirty-two-year GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
"I would have relished the challenge of playing him." old Jon: “I would have relished the challenge of playing him instead, measuring up with a mature character. Joey and Jon have different journeys, and Joey latches on to him, as if seeking a father figure or a male role model. But there also is a tinge of romance, and Joey seems still unclear about his sexuality.” His character has layers and sides Kaigan can empathise with, so he can feel comfortable in his shoes: “For example, Joey shuns the telephone calls, being a young man used to texting and typing, and I am wary of two-way live telephone conversations too. Joey is overwhelmed, ends up mishandling a call, being rude to a caller, and reprimanded by the manager.” Surely, more than one telephone
operator in the readership can indeed relate to this occupational hazard! Kaigan remarks that actors must be proficient at empathy, if they want to credibly get into their characters’ skin, therefore they would make worthy counselors as a side dish to their theatre career! “Drama school teaches you a good deal of transferrable skills, most obviously public speaking, but also makes you understand people, since you spend most of your time playing someone else, feeling their emotions and be driven by their motivations.” You Stupid Darkness! script is written in ‘landscape’, featuring three columns of text, so actors will have to synchronise their interaction virtually to the millisecond, as the conversations are meant to be going on concurrently and separately in reality, but on stage they must be kept free from excess overlapping, or the audience will be unable to follow them all at once and grasp the plot. 45
scene Because this is an open-air production with a cheeky street theatre flavour, to respect occupancy and social distancing guidelines the cast will have to factor in external noise, like cars or ambulance sirens whizzing by, as a reflection of the real life going on outside the windows of the fictional call centre. They are already rehearsing outdoors to practise speaking at louder volume than in theatre, and optimise voice carrying strategies, without make it look unnatural or aggressive. “I’ve analysed the script following these three bullet points: what I say about others, what others say about me, and what I say about myself,” Kaigan says. “I read through the script three times, sifting it for these clues to help me build my interpretation of Joey. Actors always make a connection with the characters they are portraying, and always add and reveal something about themselves in the process.”
independent, but I enjoy living with my parents. Being ‘stuck’ with them during lockdown afforded me a crash-course in reconnecting with them! I was raised as an only child, although I have half siblings, so I enjoy the family atmosphere and the pampering.” He jokes: “There are just two things we clash about: my diet, and my desire to have a cat! I am a pescatarian, trying to upgrade to vegan, so I shop for and cook my own food. The pet project is on hold for the moment, but I guess that one day, when I move out, I will seriously consider sharing my flat with a cat.”
"Small part, big experience." As much as lockdown allowed, he got involved with local theatre again, because he reckons that, unlike other performing arts, local drama is not afforded enough exposure overseas, both in terms of performing abroad, and attending a varied selection of live shows. So, he rejoined the White Light company, spearheaded by Jackie Villa, the teacher who first
Kaigan returned to Gibraltar after seven and a half years in London where he graduated in drama and attained an MA, one year during which he learnt more than in the three previous years of university packed together. He was a professional actor for a short spell in London, and one of his highlights is a part in a production of Evita: “Small part, big experience,” he says. “I worked with established professionals and learnt their tricks of the trade.” Back on the Rock last March, Kaigan saw lockdown as an opportunity to reconnect with his parents, whom he feels he is getting to know again after so many years, during which he has grown as a person: “I am 46
Kaigan Garcia
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
scene “I worked with established professionals and learnt their tricks of the trade.” like them to work together at joint ventures. His last local feat before jetting off to uni was Too Much Make-up, an original play by Julian Felice entered in the newly resurrected Drama Festival. And his last UK performance before homecoming was another Julian Felice’s play, Ten Minutes, staged last winter in London, in aid of the Moira Fund, a family-run charity that supports murder victims’ relatives. “This was the perfect way to come full circle, and close that chapter of my life. Now I am ready for new challenges, artistically and professionally.”
introduced him to drama in middle school. With her and her students, he is working on a production of monologues they hope to stage at the end of summer. “I think it is important we pass the baton to the younger generation and we raise them in the love for theatre, as performers or spectators, and we nurture talent.” During lockdown, most theatres streamed past shows to entertain their audiences the best they could under the unusual circumstances - and not to let the art fade - but Kaigan is adamant that watching GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
a live show seated in a theatre remains the best way to preserve its magic, so he hopes to see the West End fully functional again as soon as safely possible. After having been introduced to drama by Jackie Villa, Kaigan continued acting with Julian Felice and Christian Santos. Naturally, he is looking forward a career in acting, but he expects to enjoy his summer as if he was a student, and setting up productions with these groups. He feels that local theatre companies are sometimes compartmentalised, and he would
The first one – beside veganism and the cat! – is rehearsing a play set in a ‘chaotic post-apocalyptic world where everyone wears masks’ (how darkly prophetic!), with a new director and three fellow actors he is getting to know alongside their characters. The second is dabbling in playwriting, hopefully writing and acting a monologue for a dinner-theatre evening packed with commedia dell’arte and stage adaptations of The Canterbury Tales, with a sprinkle of original pieces. And perhaps a guest appearance in the musical Aladdin...? Watch this space. 47
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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art WHAT YOU WILL NEED: PAPER PENCIL
RT CLUB
ERASER RULER COLOURING PENCILS, CRAYONS OR PAINT (OPTIONAL)
How to Draw El Castillo in 5 easy steps. BY BEA GARCIA
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his month being the one National Day falls on, I thought we’d draw something a bit closer to home, so this month’s drawing is of the Moorish Castle (known locally as El Castillo). This impressive structure is believed to date back to the 12th century and until recent years was used as Gibraltar’s prison until the prison was relocated in 2010.
Step 1
STEP 1: Draw a square, 6cm long by 6cm high. Next to this square draw a rectangle, 1cm wide by 8cm tall. Rub out the dividing line separating your square from your rectangle. This is the bottom left hand face of El Castillo.
Step 2
STEP 2: We are now going to draw the front right face of the Castle with its iconic arch. From the top right corner of your 6x6cm square, GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
49
art draw a diagonal line 1.2cm long which slopes gently down to the right. Where that diagonal line ends draw a straight horizontal line, 0.8cm long, next to it. See the drawing for reference. Where your straight line ends draw a vertical line 5cm long. We are going to draw in one of the perimeter walls of the Castle below this right face. Where that line ends draw a rectangle which starts at the bottom left face of the Castle and extends out beyond the front right face. The rectangle should be 4cm long by 1cm high.
by 0.3cm wide. Leave small even gaps between each of these crenels. Continue these crenels along the length of the left face. STEP 4: We will now draw in the top tier of the Castle. Above the left face draw in a rectangle 3cm long by 1.3cm high. The bottom part of the rectangle will be obscured by the bottom tier of the Castle. On the far left side of the rectangle you have drawn, draw in another rectangle above it 1cm
Step 4
STEP 3: On that same face of the Castle draw in some thin rectangular guard posts (i.e crenellations) 0.5 cm high by 0.3cm wide. For the bottom left face, draw in a thin rectangle, 0.6cm high, above your original 6x6cm square. Above that rectangle draw in thin crenellations, 0.5cm high
Step 3
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
art long and 0.4cm high. Next to this top left face of your castle, draw a 2cm long diagonal line. Where this diagonal line ends draw a vertical line down to the lower tier. Draw in crenellations on this rectangle only.
Step 5
STEP 5: Now to add some additional details! For the other perimeter wall of the fortress, draw in a 3.5cm sloping diagonal line which slopes away from the castle. Draw in a horizontal line 3.5cm line along the base and a 2.8cm vertical line to close off the perimeter wall. Draw in the arched doorway and add the flag pole with the Union Jack. As a final touch why not add a splash of colour?
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
We would love to see your finished entries! Tag @thegibraltarmagazine and @b_garcia_art on Instagram for a chance to be featured. We look forward to seeing them!
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BOOKISH... Join us for our monthly book club! BY JOEL FRANCIS
A
re you looking for some great books to read on the beach? Then look no further, here are 3 fantastic books that you can read in just a few beach sessions. I hope you enjoy them!
AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING Hank Green Genre: Biography For Fans Of: Ready Player One What’s in the pages? Coming home from work at 3 am, April May stumbles across a giant 10-foot sculpture that's a mix of a Transformer and Samurai. April and her friend Andy decide to make a video with it and upload it to YouTube; little do they know that it will change their lives and the perspective the world has about humanity. Because when they wake up the next day, The Carls (as the sculptures come to be known) are in dozens of cities across the world and no one knows how they got there. Why should you read it? This is a tough book to summarise into a paragraph because it's about lots of different things. Essentially, it's a story about the effects that fame can have on the human condition and how we put celebrities onto pedestals to then tear them down again. But, it's also a super entertaining story about extra-terrestrial robots that turn up in every country on earth at the same time, a secret code that humanity must come together to solve and a story about how teamwork can make the dream work. This is a hilarious, captivating and poignant novel that hides a critical message in its adventure story and I highly recommend it.
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS Laurie Frankel Genre: Contemporary Fiction For Fans Of: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine What’s in the pages? Claude is the youngest member of the Walsh-Adams family. He is five years old, loves peanut butter sandwiches, is the youngest of five brothers and when he grows up, he wants to be a girl. Claude's parents are happy to let Claude be whomever he wants to be. When they move across the country for Rosie's new job, they decide to let Poppy be who she wants to be, not telling anyone about her past. All seems to go well until one day, their new existence and universe slowly implodes, and they are forced to face the reality of their decisions. Why should you read it? I had no idea what to expect going into this novel. I had bought it on a whim when I saw it on Audible because I thought it sounded intriguing and oh my god what a book. This is something that everyone should read, whether they are interested in the topic or not because it's just that amazing! While it's a book about Trans representation and everything that goes along with it (it has some of the best I've seen in fiction by the way), at its core, it's a novel about family and the often hilarious, dysfunctional and heartbreaking moments that come as a household evolves and children get older. This story had me completely absorbed. The characters are fantastic and relatable. The story is engaging and entertaining. I think this is going to become a book I read and reread over and over again!
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
THE ADULTERANTS Joe Dunthrone Genre: Fiction/ Satire For Fans Of: High Fidelity What’s in the pages? Ray Morris is unremarkable in every way. He has an unremarkable job as a freelance tech journalist, an unremarkable marriage to Garthene, who is pregnant, and an unremarkable group of small friends. He has never been punched in the neck, never committed adultery with his actual body, never been caught in a riot, arrested or tagged by the police or become an international hate figure... until one day he is. Then, his whole world is turned on its head. Why should you read it? The Adulterants is a short, hilarious and cynical book about cancel culture, losing everything, and growing up. I managed to read this book in one sitting, and although I wasn't sold on it right away, the twist was hilarious, and the protagonist is a loveable idiot, and we all know one of those. (If you don't, then it's probably you.) If you're looking for an easy read that won't challenge you too much or take you forever to read, then I'd suggest this book. It'll make you laugh and make you glad that you aren't the protagonist!
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
For many weeks John Mackintosh Hall’s closed doors meant the venue was pretty much out of bounds, perhaps giving the impression to many that not a lot was going on and Gibraltar Cultural Services (GCS) staff were all at home resting, sitting or even lying back on their laurels... And what a misconception that would be! BY RICHARD CARTWRIGHT
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ovid-19 played its disruptive part, of course, but diversification took centre stage at GCS and heads were - in effect banged together to come up with alternatives. “We had to come up with ideas. Our main concern was those at home,” Head of Development and Education, Davina Barbara, told me. “We had a responsibility to help and come up with a plan and programmes were structured on a weekly basis.” The wonderful creation of the internet and online availability was one solution and any number of morning library story telling sessions held in small groups, live story reading from home with parents taking part also, music, arts and crafts, and theatre workshops involving GAMPA, focus on Gibraltar Archive and Fine Arts, videos of past exhibitions with much of it online and shown on other social GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
platforms got underway. “We also had Paulette Finlayson showing groups of school children around the Mario Finlayson National Gallery in the Town Hall which displays her dad’s and other Gibraltarian artists’ works...” The GEMA (sculptor Victor Quintanilla has an incredible display of his creative work
there), Fine Arts and Mario Finlayson National art galleries have certainly not been forgotten with exhibitions and and story competitions involving schools being organised. The JMH Library has had limited activity with children whilst staff have been taking advantage of the lockdown to re-organise part of the room, keeping Davina and her 55
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building, which is apparently quite popular on the Rock, and not forgetting the 47th International Arts Exhibition planned for November and prizes to be won!
team very busy during lockdown and beyond, with so much more still in the offing! “We’ve taken a couple of ideas from looking at what’s been done in the UK,” Davina reveals, “like our Frontline Portrait Exhibition, promoting those individuals who have been keeping us safe from the virus.” A lot of virtual digital work has also been produced during the period, such as the spring digital art exhibition and ‘Visit Gibraltar’ virtual tours of the Upper 56
Galleries - and there’s more to come during National Week… “We’ve also had live drama performances with a very limited audience in the Charles Hunt Room with just two actors and everyone present keeping to the Covid rules and social distancing,” Davina says. The list of activities and work being done by Davina and her team is almost endless with more exhibitions, a treasure hunt and even a, ‘Creatives’ competition involving Lego brick
Checking out the wider entertainment package GCS is very much involved in, has meant more head scratching by those working from the corner offices next to the cafeteria at JMH... It must have been heavy going thinking of ways to fill in the gaps left by, GibTalks, Calentita, Summer Nights, the Miss Gibraltar Pageant, the GMF, MUGA events or the Beer Festival. And no Jazz music at Grand Parade, no Drama Festival, no National Day celebrations at Casemates, no Fair Week, no Literary Festival, perhaps no Christmas fun week at John Mackintosh Square and Festival of Lights, no traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations also at Casemates, no Three Kings’ Cavalcade and more ‘no’s as far as GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
scene Year’s Eve we’ll be recording a show earlier on in December at John Mackintosh Hall Theatre which will be shown on GBC on the night and will include the fireworks display live at midnight. In January we’ll also be holding a cultural exchange between Gibraltar and the Lloyd’s of London Art Group exhibiting over 100 works at the Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery in Casemates.”
we can predict. (Keeping fingers crossed that things could change, and not all of the above will be lost!)
starting with one third attendance being allowed and slowly building as weeks and months go by as the virus situation improves.”
However, as advertised, the September Blessing of the Seas Boat Procession around the Rock will go ahead. “And apart from all that Davina has informed you about, we are preparing certain events that will run well into the autumn and further on,” GCS CEO, Seamus Byrne reveals.
There are also plans for recording entertainment segments to keep beachgoers reminded of what the 10th of September - National Day - is all about. There’ll be lots going on during National Week leading up to the 10th. The week will include GBC Television in full swing with cultural TV archives and other GBC television library programmes alongside its normal programming, the political aspect of the day on the day, the Rock Concert and the traditional, pretty colours shooting up into the sky later, with lots online too.
Abiding by Public Health rules and working hard GCS is doing their best to fill in those gaps. “We’ll have choirs and other musical events allowing the use of venues like Ince’s Hall, the JMH Theatre, the Alameda Open Air Theatre and even St Michael’s Cave. Audience capacity at any events being organised will be staggered GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
“Oh yes, we’ll have TV screens on all our beaches to help celebrate the day. And for New
Dates and venues of all the exhibitions and events are displayed on posters at JMH and other places and will appear in the media as we get closer to the dates. “The GCS has indeed been very busy during lockdown and the work is ongoing. We’re continuing with our street art projects with the next one coming up on the GAMPA building on Hospital Hill.” Seamus says it’s time for reflection at GCS and asserts there’s more to culture than just events, and the GCS will soon be involved in the running of the Mayor’s Parlour amongst other projects. So to say the Gibraltar Cultural Services staff have been very busy during our unfortunate period since March 2020, would be a grand understatement. Reading through the above might prove exhausting because of all that’s gone on and has still yet to come, always bearing in mind - as we’re not out of the woods yet - the importance of sticking to COVID-19 rules and keeping safe. Hence much appreciation must go towards the work undertaken (which continues) by the GCS. Clearly their workload has been full to the brim...with their busy agenda overflowing well into 2021! 57
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A WICKED SUMMER
Nolan Robba, who has adopted the stage name Nolan Edwards, is enjoying a slowerpaced summer this year away from London, the city which he has called home for the past seven years.
BY ALEX ORFILA
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olan Robba was accepted into the prestigious performing arts school London Studio Centre back in 2013 and his drive for success teamed with his demanding workload meant that even as a student, visits back home to Gibraltar - or more specifically La Caleta where his family is from - were always cut short. On his final show, when graduating from London Studio Centre, he had already been scouted by an agent, which meant that roles soon followed and visits home became even less frequent. When asked what pushed him to pursue a career in the arts his answer was simple; he could not imagine doing anything else. This conviction together with raw talent has led Nolan to where he is today, as part of the cast of one of the most loved and established shows on the West End, Wicked. His first part was in the West End adaptation of the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic – Carousel, closely followed by a role in Aladdin, where he worked for two years before joining Wicked. He describes getting into Wicked as the highlight of his career so 58
far, mainly because it is such a sought-after show and can be described as every dancer’s dream job. In most cases, artists have to audition several times before being accepted as it’s a very rigorous audition process. He was honoured to have been selected after auditioning only once. 2020 has undoubtedly been an unusual year for everyone, but of course some sectors have been hit harder than others. The theatre industry has been deeply affected by the global pandemic as all shows had to shut their doors when the lockdown was announced in March. Even now, as restrictions start to ease, there is still great uncertainty as to how or when live shows will be permitted to reopen. As a result, many artists and performers such as Nolan are experiencing a rarity in their usually very hectic lives – some down time. But in order to understand just what a stark contrast summer 2020 has been to his usual routine in London, I asked Nolan to talk us through a typical working day. “Coffee! Coffee is the oxygen in London!” is Nolan’s answer when
asked how he starts the morning. Even on days where he only has one show in the evening there is no time to relax - the entire day centers around preparation. The main focus is energy reserve, and this involves meticulously planning the day to ensure he properly fuels himself for the evening. Diet and exercise throughout the day have to be closely monitored as they will have an impact on energy levels later on.
"He was honoured to have been selected after auditioning only once." “I go the gym at midday to slowly ramp up my body, to then go into warm up and vocal warm up [at the theatre] at 6pm. In between I usually fit in a voice lesson and there are also days on which I may have auditions to attend. When people see that our working hours officially start at 6pm they assume we have the rest of the day to GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
scene
"Just being here is a blessing." ourselves but that’s not the case - the lead up and preparation is a huge part of it.” Nolan explains.
To say that things in Gibraltar this summer have been considerably less hectic is an understatement, but the West End performer admits that he has been presented with a rare opportunity to spend time back at home. This is something which he does not take for granted, especially as it’s been over seven years since he last spent a period of over two consecutive weeks in Gib. “This is the first full summer that I’ve spent here in like seven years. I think in a way this has come at a good time, my life was so go, go, go. I think it’s so easy to just forget yourself and never take a break so this experience [having time off] has been quite humbling and - as corny as it sounds - it’s been great getting to reconnect with my roots. Family for me is everything, so just being here is a blessing.” GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
© Oracle Lens (Deryn Falzun)
So how does he prepare for days when he has two shows, such as a matinee as well as an evening show? “Pray!” he jokes. “The thing I’m actually missing most about my life in London is my routine. I’ve been working consistently I’m very grateful and humbled to say - for four years and in three different shows during this time. I’ve got so used to my six days [of work] a week, eight shows a week as well as my coffee mornings and my Pret on the way to work.” Having some time off has also granted him with the luxury of reflection as he admits that he never takes the time to pause and look back on what has been achieved during his time in the industry. “In a professional context I’ve really had the chance to take it all in. It’s such a fast-paced industry, where you move from one show to the next without pausing. So this provides almost like a checkpoint from where I can look back and be like ok, I did good, and really relish in what I’ve achieved.” Nolan shares. In terms of goals, he is happy to carry on working in something that fills him up so much. He speaks so passionately about his vocation, and his energy is so palpable that it is easy to imagine
that he will continue to carve a name out for himself in this industry. When asked how the industry is coping with the looming uncertainty, Nolan admits that it hasn’t all been plain sailing, but that despite the hardships which are being encountered creatives will always find an outlet to help steer them through tough times. He elaborates: “There is a general sense of hopelessness because of the unknown; no one knows what is going to happen or when we are going to be able to return to work, as our ‘office’ is the theatre. People feel a bit lost because you identify with your profession, like being a dancer, or a singer, and then when someone just takes that away from you, you find yourself asking – what am I now? 59
scene "It’s such a fastpaced industry, where you move from one show to the next without pausing." “But I think the beautiful thing about most people in this industry and artists generally is that it is in our nature to string poetry out of problems. People see themselves in these confined spaces, everyone’s in quarantine, everything’s locked down, theatres can’t open so creatives are expressing themselves through other mediums, such as songwriting. They are coping by finding other forms of creative expression.” What the future will look like for the industry is still largely uncertain. Andrew Lloyd Webber hosted a trial run in London in July where singer Beverley Knight and her band performed before a socially distanced audience to demonstrate how this could be managed. The potential safety measures which were trialed saw only 600 seats being occupied out of the theatre’s usual capacity of 2,500 and was even described by Lloyd Webber himself as “a rather sad sight”. Nolan believes initiatives such as Lloyd Webber’s, though still a work in progress are promising and provide some hope to the industry that theatres will be able to open in some capacity in the not too distant future. Nolan concludes: “Even that event being hosted, whether some good 60
© Oracle Lens (Deryn Falzun) data comes from it or not is a light at the end of the tunnel because it makes it feel that there’s some initiative to get the industry going again, which is important. I feel like a lot of people question whether the arts are important and whether it needs more government funding, but what I don’t think many people realise is that pretty much everyone in their quarantine experience turned to the arts for guidance and comfort. How many times did people switch on Netflix? How many times did you stream YouTube videos with content creators? These are all part of the creative sector. Shows such as Hamilton had live streams, people were connecting to shows and theatre more than ever. Its therefore so clear, in times of real need the arts are what the world turns to.” GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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art
ART VS COVID
The Art vc Covid exhibition took place at the Fine Arts Gallery, organised by the MasaUK Art Gallery in Manchester, with the aim of showing how art can unify people during trying times.
BY MATT TRIAY
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he exhibition went on for over a week, with artists flying from Austria, France and the UK as well local artists all taking part. I was lucky enough to speak with one of the artists, Micheal Viger, a humble man with a passion to create, a writer, a painter, a musician, a jazz lover. Micheal is not afraid to try and to discover; Art vs Covid was an exploration into new territories. He was able to 'paint me a picture' of life as an artist and explain the need for art. Micheal's father is a composer who makes music for movies, both his kids are musicians so you could say it’s in their genes. Micheal reminisced about being around the theatre as young as 3 years old; he saw it as an “invitation” to join the world of artists, saying he “always wanted to write, to paint, to make music…” today he does exactly that, combining all his creative talents. I asked Micheal if he felt different at a young age: “I was a singular child playing in my own world, 62
in my own universe and for other children to join you in your universe is quite difficult… still now I have this pleasure to enter my world and to create.” I mentioned my interest in screenwriting and he showed me his latest work. It was clear to see Micheal is an artist in every sense of the word - he relies on his talent to survive. With Covid-19
many Artists are uncertain of their future and the future of the industry and may not be able to rely on their talents for survival any longer. Art vs Covid suggests otherwise. When Micheal started in the art world he was directing movies. He spoke about the lack of competition and as a GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
art
young director he was given “the opportunity to produce and to create well, today there are a lot of directors…” I asked Micheal if he thought more traditional art forms such as painting were potentially at risk with the accessibility and popularity of movies, TV series and the change in youth’s attention spans and need for stimulation. Micheal believes that people do love paintings, they love to hang paintings on their walls, he described this as a “marriage” to art. "To enjoy art it takes time” GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Micheal explained. He described art as a form of communication, and if an artist can transcend feeling then one’s attention span is irrelevant. How did Micheal join the Masa Art Gallery? Kiko, the son of Matija, owner of the Masa Art Gallery, saw him on the social media platform Instagram and liked this work. Kiko then invited Micheal to hold an exhibition in Manchester. This of course highlighted social media as a talking point in our conversation.
'To enjoy art it takes time... if an artist can transcend feeling then one’s attention span is irrelevant." However, Micheal felt Instagram impacted his ability to create; before he would create by himself for himself but now with social media he is thinking about his audience during the process. Yet for an exhibition like Art vs Covid, social media's salience is undeniable. Nevertheless, by the end of our conversation Micheal maintained that “art has to be
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art shared… it is magnificent when somebody is in front of your painting and they stay in front and they look at you and smile… thats all I need”. Many thanks has to be given to the Masa Art Gallery, a lot of energy was put in by the owners to coordinate this exiting project, notably the transporting of the art to Gibraltar. Covid has to a large extent halted cultural life with a projected £74bn drop in revenue for the creative industries and 400,000 jobs lost in Britain alone according to the Oxford Economics Report as reported by the Guardian. According to the NY Times Britain has been the slowest to reopen their cultural sector, they have also failed to protect the industry unlike France, Germany, Italy and Belgium who have had much fewer lay offs and provided heavy subsidies. Nevertheless global crises such as Covid can inspire artists, as Micheal agreed: “All you have to do is look back at history… we are creating much more when there is a crisis; against something, for something… its a way to speak, to scream, to touch people.” This is indicative of why we need the cultural industry now more than ever, people need art during these times to feel connected. “Covid is like a war” says Micheal. 64
Continuing to create is inspiring to people and that is their (artists) fight - and not just Covid, as Micheal mentions other world problems that artists “scream” about, such as racism.
I asked Micheal about the importance of art in small communities such as Gibraltar and making art global. He felt art was pertinent to small communities, but rather than globalisation these communities must stay unique. He expressed that artists can grow with help from other artists, from the community, just as he was helped starting out in his career. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
T&Cs apply - visit u-mee.com for details u-mee.com
leisure
AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN A deal too good to be true.
BY ANDREW LICUDI DIPWSET
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all me lucky, but I had never met a con man until I met David Mullin. I remember it was a Friday morning in August when a persistent levante had finally lifted its ugly head, leaving the town to sparkle and the inhabitants cheerful with a spring in their step which had been missing for weeks. I was in my office in Portland House doing nothing much. Work had been slow and I sat back with my feet on the desk enjoying the cool breeze of an ancient fan and the thought of the weekend ahead. I was due in Sanlúcar where my host had managed to book me into Las Arenas, a cheap but clean hotel with a sparse breakfast and walls which left little to the imagination. Being August, the town was choc-a-block. The annual horse racing along its sandy beaches was in full-flow and I was looking forward once more to the incongruous sight of horses charging down crowded beaches, their tiny jockeys in colourful silks urging their mounts mercilessly towards the finish line. 66
It was a tentative knock on the door that brought me back to Friday morning at the office. Looking up I was met by a head poking through the partially open door. Whether it was the untidy blonde hair, the cheerful smile, or ears too large for classical symmetry I don’t know, but irrationally I immediately took a liking to the stranger. “Hi. I am David Mullin. I am told you may be able to help me.” he said cheerfully. I beckoned him in. He was taller than me at around six foot. He reminded me of one of those characters from a Graham Greene novel blissfully unaware that Britannia no longer ruled the waves. His crumpled linen jacket labelled him more traveller than tourist and an accent which sounded honed at one of those privileged schools in Windsor or Surrey. To complete the picture of an Englishman
abroad, he carried a genuine Panama hat in one hand. In the other, a scruffy canvas bag with a bottle of wine. I had never seen him before and wondered what he wanted. “I want to sell the contents of my father’s wine cellar. Would you be interested?” Before I could answer he placed several A4 sheets of yellow-lined paper on my desk. Whoever had produced the list of wines in front of me had beautiful handwriting.
"I was a disappointment to my father in many respects. Wine was just one them."
It was a wine-lover’s dream. Haut Brion, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite, Domaine de la Romannee Conti, Cheval Blanc, ancient Vega Sicilias , dripped off the pages like gold dust on to my vivid imagination. I could almost smell the iodine of the Cheval Blanc and the graphite of the legendary Mouton 82. Two wines whose tasting notes I knew by heart but unlikely ever to taste!
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leisure were not just sherry producers but wine collectors in their own right. I would be happy to take his list and make enquiries. I told him about Sanlúcar, the races and the sherry producer’s enclosure at the finish line where. I made a copy of the wine list and he arranged to come in the following week. Before leaving, he placed the bottle of wine he’d been carrying on my desk. It was a bottle of Chateu d’Yquem 1986. The look on my face must have been telling.
"Why had he come? How had he got into the enclosure?"
“So why do you want to sell such a wonderful cellar. Your dad must have been quite a knowledgeable collector?” “He was. It came as a shock to him knowing he would die with a full cellar. He’d always planned to open his last bottle on his death bed.” he shrugged as if indicating the futility of second-guessing life. “So why sell?” “He left debts as well wine. I cannot afford such luxuries. Don’t feel sorry for me. I never could tell a Burgundy from a claret.” he said smiling. “I was a disappointment to my father in many respects. Wine was just one them.” A hint of bitterness suddenly creeping GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
into his voice. David Mullin (I found later it wasn’t his real name), told me he would be prepared to accept any reasonable offer if someone took the whole of the cellar’s content. The wine was in his father’s house near Ronda, a rambling old villa with extensive grounds and pretty almond orchards according to him. He was keen to settle his father’s affairs and wanted me to come and have a look that very weekend, but I told him I had already been invited to Sanlúcar and in any case the price was out of my league. His look of disappointment soon evaporated when I mentioned some people I would be seeing
“I don’t want much for it. I need petty cash urgently. One hundred pounds is a fair price.” It was. I gave him twenty pounds more than he asked. The sherry producer’s enclosure at the Sanlúcar races is by invitation only. It tends to be a family affair each producer providing all manner of food, some of it home made. Hams, shellfish, fried squid, meats in sauces, rabbit paellas all accompanied by innumerable bottles of sherry and non-stop gambling on the races. To say I was surprised to see David Mullin in the enclosure talking to a group of people in the sherry trade is an understatement. Why had he come? He’d never heard of Sanlúcar until our conversation in my office. How had he got into the enclosure? He seemed to be the centre of attention in the group. 67
They seemed to be laughing at something he was saying. Someone in the group replenished his glass. I immediately saw David Mullin in different light. Something wasn’t right. I decided not to mention him nor his cellar to anyone. He soon spotted me and bounded over. It was clear he’d had a few sherries, greeting me like a longlost friend though offering no explanation why he was there. I didn’t ask and soon made some excuse to get back to my group. I never saw him again. What transpired was recounted to me some time later. The three victims, involved in the world of wine, had immediately realized the real value of the wines. First thing on Monday, after visiting their bank and withdrawing a small fortune in fifty-euro notes, they made their way to Ronda to inspect the wines. Perhaps blinded by greed they were determined nobody would beat them to this once-in-a-lifetime bargain. After showing them round the impressive property, David Mullin took them down to the cellar. It turned out to be immaculate with all the usual temperature controls befitting such a large and rare collection of wines. There and then they agreed a price and handed over the money. They were to come back with a large van for the wines. When they arrived two days later, having presold most of the wines at a large profit, a middleaged English woman answered the door. When they asked for David Mullin she suggested they must have the wrong house. There was no David Mullin there. They insisted there must be. He 68
was the owner. The woman at that point called the husband who confirmed they were the owners not David Mullin whoever he was. Now aware there was something wrong, they described David Mullin. They owners said it sounded like Stewart Pinkerton. An English gentleman, who having fallen on hard times, had knocked on their door looking for casual work. Feeling sorry for him they had employed him for a few days to clear some weeds. Stewart Pinkerton had turned out to be hard working and very well informed when it came to wine. The owner had shared a few glasses with him and shown him his impressive cellar. When the time had come to get paid, he’d ask for a bottle
of Chateau d’Yquem instead of cash, something that surprised the owner but was happy to go along with. They were shocked when they discovered that Stewart Pinkerton, AKA David Mullin, had gained access to the house and ‘sold’ their valued collection for a fraction of its real value when they were away in UK. Nothing was missing from the house. Theft was clearly was not David Mullin’s style. Perhaps exploiting greed was. Three very depressed gentlemen, drove an empty van back to Sanlúcar. The Chateau d’Yquem 1986? Spectacular! GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
THE OPEN WATER COURSE Your ticket to the underwater world.
BY OLIVER COX
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earning to dive is undoubtedly one of the best things I have ever done. It gives you an unparalleled sense of freedom that a non-scuba divers likely won’t achieve. You'll see up close what those who merely float above miss. From Iceland's world-famous Silfra dive site to diving the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the world is certainly yours for the picking once you have your qualification. So you may be thinking, "This sounds interesting, where do I start?"…This is where the Open Water Course comes in; this is the very first course you take if you want to submerge yourself in the world of scuba. The Open Water Course provides you with the skills you need to dive confidently. You will learn 24 skills during your training, including assembly and disassembly of your equipment, removing and replacing your mask underwater, and simulating ‘out of air’ emergencies to name a few. These skills are normally performed in a confined environment; I learned all of my skills in Rosia Bay, though I know of people who did their training in a pool - it all depends on your local Dive Centre’s facilities. You will go through the skills with your instructor until they (and you!) are completely happy that you are ready to start the Open Water section of your training.
In the Open Water section of your training you apply concepts learned in your knowledge development and training through your confined skills which you have shown mastery on. You and your instructor will then go to a dive site suitable for your skill level, and experience the open water. After a couple of dives, and once your instructor is happy that you have completed everything to a comfortable and confident level, you can finally call yourself a successfully qualified Open Water Diver! Your qualification will give you a depth limit of 18 Metres/60 feet with a diving buddy.
"It gives you an unparalleled sense of freedom."
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You are then qualified to dive wherever in the world you like (given your depth limits of course). Time to go and enjoy yourself!
Writing this article has brought back fond memories of when I did my Open Water Course - nearly two years ago now! Now as a qualified Rescue Diver, I still have the same enthusiasm as when I started, if not more, as I have continued to learn and discover as I have developed as a diver. For all new divers, enjoy the sport safely, and spread the diving bug!
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beauty
CONFESSIONS OF A BEAUTY ADDICT Beauty tools.
BY ALEX ORFILA
I
nstagram - or ‘beautygram’, as I like to call it - is brimming with shots and stories of the latest beauty tools. However, the fact is that beauty devices have been around for decades, far longer than the social media app itself. Most notably, hair styling tools and hair removal devices such as epilators have donned bathroom cabinets for years. But in recent times we have seen a surge of skincare devices being released which promise salon results at home and which also happen to be oh-so-Instagramable. I’m talking about rose quartz facial rollers, LED masks, electronic cleansing brushes and many more. Why are these so on trend at the moment? Is it just a fad? Or are people simply embracing these new tools because they are so very effective? Is it also just a coincidence that they happen to be so expertly marketed and beautifully packaged? The top online beauty websites all 70
have sections devoted exclusively to beauty tools, which goes to show how very lucrative this area of the beauty industry really is. When browsing through this impressive arsenal of products it is hard to imagine exactly what purpose each would serve… thankfully, we have YouTube
tutorials and many online reviews available to lend a helping hand. As a devoted beauty consumer, I must admit that I myself have only dipped my toes into this beauty sub section. I bought my first rose quartz roller completely on a whim after rooting for bargains GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
beauty
"Are these products truly effective or just a fad?" in the TK Maxx beauty aisle last summer. At the time I had no idea what the benefits of these rollers were, but as a result of the ‘Instagram effect’ found myself purchasing it anyway. Following this I started to research beauty tools in more detail, only to find that I had only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. These rollers were just the beginning; it seemed many beauty fans out there were far more invested in beauty tools than I was and were purchasing products such as LED facemasks which are priced at an eye watering £430. I found myself asking, are these products truly effective or just a fad, i.e a popular consequence of the infinite reach of social media?
of nylon bristles which can be quite abrasive and harsh on skin. Instead, the Foreo Luna is made of finer gentler silicone bristles. Foreo went even further in cementing the relationship between beauty and technology when they launched their app - all their devices can be synced to your phone and controlled via the Foreo app. Beautiful! tempted to purchase one, but does anyone really know what they do? For centuries these semi-precious stones have been celebrated for their healing properties. Rose Quartz is said to dispel negativity and promote self-love, whereas jade is meant to soothe the mind.
I do find this new beauty terrain somewhat fascinating as it reflects how technology, beauty and innovation can come together. Below I’ve shared some of the most popular tools of the moment – which may just possibly be on my very long beauty wish list.
These rollers claim to aid lymphatic drainage, depuffing skin and stimulating circulation. They also work exceptionally well when combined with facial oils and serums. Dr Dennis Goss Drx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro, £430
Foreo Luna Mini 2 Facial Cleansing Brush, £99 This Swedish brand can be described as the current leader in the electronic beauty device industry. They first launched Luna, their signature facial cleansing brush, in 2013 and have since earned cult status, winning an impressive collection of beauty awards. The Luna was revolutionary because unlike all other cleansing brushes before it, it was not made up GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Herbivore Jade Facial Roller, £26 Most users of the social media app Instagram with an interest in beauty will have no doubt come across a sponsored post promoting jade or rose quartz rollers. You may have even been
This LED face mask boasts being able to ‘treat years in minutes with zero downtime’. It’s a medical grade mask which is lined with anti-acne blue light, 100 red LED lights and 62 blue LED lights which work together to target a whole host of skin concerns. It is said to smoothen wrinkles, firm skin and combat discoloration. Out of those who took part in Dr 71
beauty face many are reluctant to try it out of fear that it will result in an overgrowth of coarse facial hair. Dermaflash have done their research and quickly dismiss this myth claiming that shaving does not affect the hair follicle itself. They explain that cutting a hair gets rid of the thinner tapered end which is why it may feel like hair is thicker after shaving, when in fact it has just been shortened. I myself was quite skeptical about dermaplaning and I have not yet taken the plunge, but I must admit that I have heard rave reviews and the beauty industry appears to be full of praise for this new skincare step. Dennis Gross’s clinical study, 97% claimed that they saw changes to their skin within two weeks of using it. Which begs the question, is this really the fountain of youth or just a very expensive accessory? Dermaflash Luxe, £180 You may be acquainted with the practice of dermaplaning, an exfoliating treatment which involves taking a scalpel to gently shave away peach fuzz and other microscopic debris from the skin such as dead skin cells to reveal a radiant and smooth complexion. It’s a treatment which is now available in salons and even forms a part of some facials. Dermaplane scalpels are usually sold as separate manual scalpels, however, Dermaflash has gone one step further by releasing an electronic version which can be gently glided over the face. However, as this practice involves literally very gently shaving your 72
They have since earned cult status.
NuFace Mini Facial Toning Device, £167 Aesthetician Carol Cole founded NuFace, a non-invasive tool which is said to firm and sculpt. It works by mimicking cell activity to promote further skin repair and the production of collagen for a plumper and more youthful complexion. Meaning that the appearance of wrinkles will diminish over time. Before use, skin has to be prepped by cleansing to ensure all makeup and oils are removed from the face. A leave on primer also has to be applied to allow the device to glide over your face effortlessly. It seems that ‘toning’ is no longer simply reserved for the gym. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Living with anxiety amidst global uncertainty Use this Decision Tree to help you notice ‘Real Problem’ vs. ‘Hypothetical Worry’
What am I worrying about? Is this a problem I can do something about?
Yes
No Let the worry go, and focus on something else that is important to you right now.
Work out what you could do. List your options.
Is there anything I can do right now?
Yes
No
Do it now
Plan what you could do and when you will do it
Then let the worry go, and focus on something else that is important to you right now.
Then let the worry go, and focus on something else that is important to you right now.
Gibraltar Health Authority
Visit: www.healthygibraltar.org
fashion
TRASHION TALIA
Upcycling fabric since her childhood, since well before sustainable fashion came into fashion, Talia Langdon is the founder of cottage industry TaliaFarfalia, a label that produces bi-annual collections of unique handmade garments made of second-hand clothes.
BY ELENA SCIALTIEL
T
he originality of Talia’s artwork stands in the fact that by no means she attempts to disguise or conceal any pre-loved fabric’s original cut, but she actually flaunts previous tailoring by including in the new design collars, pockets, sleeves, and buttons, yet artistically shifting their original function and making them a focal feature. For instance, collars become sleeves or side pockets when an old shirt is recycled sideways or upside down. Or, two shirts in different but colour-matching patterns sewn together end-toend lengthways are hey presto! upgraded to a funky top. The wearer slots her arms through the have-been collars at opposite sides, while the original and still operational fastening line crosses her torso from elbow to elbow, making it the must-have accessory for breastfeeding mothers, because it conveniently flaps open at the touch of a button! Every last bit of fabric is used: 74
strips and scraps are threaded together and become yarn for woven and knitted detailing, like waistbands, belts and ‘trashy’ handbags with the hippie twist. New styles are devised by gazing at old clothes from the odd angle, and musing how shapes, colours, prints and patterns can be tweaked around, best combined and reassembled, and fully handmade by what Talia describes as ‘slow fashion’. The trendy term for this artisanship is ‘trashion’, a portmanteau of trash and fashion, and the trend is indeed gathering momentum with trashionistas, fast GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
fashion ‘Trashion’, a portmanteau of trash and fashion. fledging from sideshow oddity to a full craft in its own right. “I started in my teenage years, making coats out of my brothers’ old corduroy trousers, and soon my friends would bring me their own old stuff and ask me to turn it into something new,” Talia tells how child play blossomed into lifelong passion and commitment to zero waste and circular economy. And so her trademark jeans coat was born, of which she produces several permutations every autumn, using old denims of all colours and lengths, paired with old woollies or sweatshirts and anything that can provide colourful lining. From the stark black-jean and ethic-style lined coat to the casual bluejean biker jacket, this evergreen wardrobe staple has been endorsed by several fashionistas, including jazz singer Shirley Davis of Silverbacks fame. Talia and her daughters Ana and Rocio Alfageme Langdon set up GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
periodical pop-up shops at the Madrid sustainable market. Recently, they joined the Asociación de Moda Sostenible in Madrid and participated in their alternative catwalk, where her flagship creations were paraded by professional models around a pile of closet clearance, used as stage prop to raise awareness about the wastage caused by mainstream fashion industry. The awakening to conscientious consumerism invited to shopping with brands that afford a new lease of life to last season’s
leftovers, without forsaking sly nods to next season’s trends. One of Talia’s star pieces at the show was a frock made of silk blouses that could well fit as the gown for a beach wedding. So can the dainty crocheted dress that she restyled from a handmade round tablecloth and a T-shirt inlayed with lace appliqués from her summer 2020 collection. And if you are an invitee to said shindig, perhaps you’d like to commission a bespoke 75
fashion It was met with curiosity locally. silk extravaganza made of ties ‘jigsawed’ together into a swirly bias-cut full skirt, complemented by ruffled blouse obtained from odd snippets, boasting African hues and princess panache. Lockdown boosted her creativity and gave her more time to think and craft, so she put together a collection which she decided to showcase for the first time in Gibraltar, where she comes down every year a veranear with her family. It featured a selection of affordable womenswear, with a few men’s and kids’, mainly made of shirts and tees in aqua blues, apple greens, pastel pinks, or earth neutrals, sometimes accented with loud florals. Indeed, it was met with curiosity locally, and served the purpose to sensitise locals about the impact of mainstream fashion on the environment. Talia says her inspiration comes from Italian arte povera which was the rave when she studied architecture there, and from Picasso, whose sculptures were often made of scraps of the bin. However, she doesn’t rummage in any garbage to source any fabrics: before upcycling them, she makes sure that they are quality natural fibres like cotton, linen, wool and silk, reliably donated either by friends or by factories’ surplus. Talia stores them in what she describes as the ‘den’; a room full of donated clothes, a library of fabrics and a ‘bank’ of styles and shapes, catalogued by fibre type and colour, where she forays to 76
pick, mix and match. “As an architect of interiors by training, I seek volume and proportion, and look for harmonising colour and pattern, as if I was building a structure with fabric instead of brick and mortar,” she says. Her experience in the field has donned her with a keen eye for spotting and anticipating trends, without compromising on the quirky style that makes her a standalone success. If Talia is a pioneer, surely she
isn’t secretive or protective of her talents, and she actually encourages everyone to try their hand at upcycling their closet. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Using ingredients that make up most of Gibraltar’s culinary melting pot, we’ve brought together a fusion of the traditional and modern. From vegetarian alternatives to adaptations of the most common dishes you can expect to find on the Rock. Mama shares some of her favourite simple recipes to inspire you back into the kitchen, so you can cook up fresh and tasty meals every day, no matter your skill level.
Buy the book and find more recipes over on
www.mamalotties.com
fashion
WHITE TEES SUMMER BREEZE When it comes to late summer styling, there's nothing I love more than those easy, no-fuss, chuck-on-and-go pieces that make decisions about what to wear in this weather just that little bit easier. LEFT: ALICE ORGANIC COTTON RIBBED T-SHIRT IN WHITE, WEEKDAY, £12.00
BY JULIA COELHO
Y
ou can't go wrong with the classics, and a plain white T-shirt tops the list of tried and true wardrobe staples. White tees have remained firmly on the scene since the days of James Dean and Marlon Brando, but let’s not forget about a more recent resurgence. I’m sure you all remember the infamous Gucci white tee that made an appearance on every blogger and celeb’s Instagram a couple of years back; a cultural obsession which no doubt helped propel the white tee to even greater levels of superstardom. Finding the perfect one may sound like a fairly simple task, but one that ticks all the boxes too, from fit to comfort, can actually be quite a feat. After all, the more minimal something is, the more its flaws are able to shine through. It may not exactly be an exciting item to purchase, but whether paired under a silky slip dress, 78
RIGHT: ORGANIC CREW NECK TEE IN WHITE, MANGO, £6.99
with a sharp suit, or even with your favourite jeans, there’s no denying that a white T-shirt is one of the most versatile items out there. It possesses a powerful neutralising capability; with a propensity to temper louder pieces like nothing else can. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
FABRIC Arguably one of the most crucial elements to consider when looking for a perfect tee, especially in our current climate, is fabric. Most white T-shirts - especially amongst our most-frequented high-street stores - are made out of cotton, or a fabric blended with cotton. It’s important to remember that not all cotton is created equal, and it’s definitely essential that we do our research and become well informed, in order to make the best possible decisions going forward. Some of our favourite retailers are making waves in their efforts to more sustainable business practices. H&M, as an example, is fully committed to an eco-friendly future, and has pledged to use only recycled and GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
LEFT: MOM JEANS IN WASHED BLACK, TOPSHOP, £40.00 RIGHT: OLD SKOOL TRAINERS IN ORANGE, VANS, £57.00
sustainable materials by 2030. Even now, they take in old clothes for recycling at any of their stores (in exchange for store credit!), and they also have a popular Conscious range, which boasts a huge selection of organic clothing.
STYLING White tees don’t have to be boxy and boring. Apart from finding the perfect fit, the rest is all about styling. During the impending
MIDDLE: TRUE CLEAR MULES IN BLACK, SIMMI LONDON, £30.00
tricky period between summer and autumn, when you’re finally ready to ditch the summer mini dresses at long last, I find a tee is a perfect choice as it acts as an ideal layering device, and can be worn with basically any trouser/ culotte. While a white tee may seemingly be an overtly casual choice, you’ll find that it really doesn’t take all that much to dress one up and create an effortlessly stylish look. The options are 79
fashion TOP: TAILORED CO-ORD SUIT IN MINT, TOPSHOP, £79.00 MIDDLE: DOUBLE BREASTED BLAZER IN LIGHT BLUE, NEW LOOK, £32.99 BOTTOM: OVERSIZED SLEEVELESS BLAZER IN 90'S CHECK CO-ORD, DAISY STREET, £24.99 - - RIGHT PAGE - TOP: MIX & MATCH BLACK SUIT, ASOS DESIGN, £53.00 MIDDLE: CROP DAD BLAZER AND TROUSERS, ASOS DESIGN, £80.00 BOTTOM: ALL ROUNDER BLAZER IN GREY CHECK, ASOS DESIGN, £30.00
limitless; consider wearing one under a slinky mini slip dress and rolling up the sleeves, and finishing the whole look off with some dainty jewellery and strappy heels. On the other end of the spectrum, you could also opt for a cropped version to pair with high-waisted jeans, or even tie a knot for a more feminine
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
twist. I personally love wearing a plain tee tucked into some black skinny jeans, and then pairing it with some chunky boots or eyecatching trainers. Let’s also not forget that a white tee is aptly appropriate for the upcoming National Day celebrations. Regardless of social distancing and a lack of events this year, the dress code remains the same, and a white tee is an easy go-to if you’re not in the headspace to think or care about an exciting outfit.
SUITS
While a basic like your favourite white tee may cut it for casualwear, making that shift into the office can feel somewhat trickier. But as the cool-girl alternative to a crisp shirt, pairing a plain white tee with a blazer and tailored trousers is
They have remained firmly on the scene since the days of James Dean and Marlon Brando. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
81
a contemporary take on suiting that is becoming more and more popular these days. Tailored additions bring structure and refinement to any outfit, whereas a T-shirt helps to bring the whole thing down a notch and create a perfect balance. The best part is that you can opt for both trainers or heels, depending on personal preference or dress code.
slowing down. It’s a classic combo; as long as you have a crisp white tee and a pair of white trainers in your sartorial armoury, the rest of the outfit really isn’t that important!
TOP: MULTIROW NECKLACE WITH COIN PENDANT IN GOLD TONE, ASOS DESIGN, £8.00 BOTTOM LEFT: CLASSIC OLD SKOOL TRIPLE WHITE TRAINERS, VANS, £60.00 BOTTOM RIGHT: STAN SMITH TRAINERS IN WHITE AND GREEN, ADIDAS ORIGINALS, £75.00
ACCESSORIES Accessories are a failsafe way to add an injection of personality to any outfit, so consider pairing a plain tee with a pair of bold statement earrings or cool layered chains for a more put-together vibe. Another personal fave, the white trainer trend burst onto the scene quite a few years back, and even though there have been various colour trends that have emerged since, our affinity for the classic white is showing no signs of
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Traditional Afternoon Tea Served in sophisticated surroundings at the elegant Rock Hotel Lounge Bar. Treat yourself to a quintessential experience.
3 Europa Road, Gibraltar Events: +350 200 73000/events@rockhotel.gi www.rockhotelgibraltar.com
PESTO & PETIT POIS PASTA
Recipe by The Gibraltar Vegan, follow http://www.instagram.com/ thegibraltarvegan for updates
It’s September, it’s back to school time, and with the evenings still so lovely no one wants to spend ages prepping food for school lunches. This Pesto & Petit Pois Pasta is easy to make, is served cold and you can prep for days ahead. Kids love pasta and peas are a great source of protein too. INGREDIENTS •
500g whole-wheat pasta
•
300g frozen peas
•
20 cherry tomatoes
•
120g vegan pesto (if you can’t make homemade then
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the brand Zest is a great alternative)
METHOD 1. Boil the pasta, when cooked strain the water away and rinse it under the cold water tap
2. Cook the Petit Pois and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. 3. Stir the peas,, pesto and cherry tomatoes in with the pasta. 4. Keep refrigerated when possible, but it does not need to be refrigerated while the children are in school. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
COLD BEETROOT SOUP
Recipe featured on MamaLotties.com
If you are a fan of gazpacho or salmorejo then you may just like this. A creamier and thicker alternative with beetroot. A great option for the summer. Swap out the ingredients for a vegan alternative. INGREDIENTS:
•
3 eggs
4. Next, finely chop down the dill and chives, leaving a sprig of dill
•
1/2 Ltr chicken stock
•
2 cooked beetroots
METHOD:
to one side for decorating.
•
2 gherkins
5. Once the stock is cold, mix
•
2 garlic cloves
1. Place 3 eggs to boil and leave them to cool.
•
Dill
add in the cream and yogurt and
•
Chives
•
2 tsp vinegar
•
400g fresh cream
•
400g kefir
2. Start off by preparing the stock; this can be done by using a stock cube. Once all mixed together and dissolved set aside and leave it to cool.
•
Salt
•
Pepper
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
3. Grate the beetroot, garlic and peel the cucumber, grating into a bowl with the beetroot.
all the ingredients together, and combine all your ingredients. Season to taste and finally add the vinegar. 6. Leave this in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool throughout and serve, cutting up a boiled egg. 85
information EMERGENCY SERVICES EMERGENCY CALLS ONLY: ALL EMERGENCIES................................. 112 FIRE...............................................................190 AMBULANCE.............................................190 POLICE.................................................................199
NON-URGENT CALLS: Ambulance Station 200 75728 Business Information Financial Serv. Commission Tel: 200 40283/4 Chamber of Commerce Tel: 200 78376 Federation Small Business Tel: 200 47722 Company Registry.Tel: 200 78193 Useful Numbers Airport (general info.) . Tel: 200 12345 Hospital, St Bernards. . Tel: 200 79700 Weather information. . Tel: 5-3416 Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777
The Gibraltar Magazine is published and produced by Rock Publishing Ltd, Gibraltar. Tel: (+350) 200 77748
Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289 18/20 Bomb House Lane 10am-6pm (Sat 10am-2pm). Admission: Adults £2/Children under 12 - £1. Exhibitions also at Casemates gallery.
Police 200 72500
Gibraltar Garrison Library Tel: 200 77418 2 Library Ramp Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm. Free Library tour offered every Friday at 11am. chris.tavares@gibraltargarrisonlibrary.gi Registry Office Tel: 200 72289 It’s possible to get married within 48 hours. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery & John Lennon. Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052 As well as offering normal fares, taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Upper Rock, Europa Point etc. John Mackintosh Hall Tel: 200 75669 Includes cafeteria, theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am - 11pm Mon-Fri.
Gibraltar Services Police Emergency Nos: (5) 5026 / (5) 3598 Gibraltar Public Holidays 2020 New Year’s Day Commonwealth Day Good Friday Easter Monday
Monday 1st Jan Monday 09th Mar Friday 10th Apr Monday 13nd Apr
Workers Memorial Day Tuesday 28th Apr May Day
Friday 1st May
75th anniversary of VE Day Friday 8th May Spring Bank Holiday
Monday 25th May
Queen’s Birthday
Monday 15th June
Late Summer Bank Holiday
Monday 31st Aug
Gibraltar National Day Tuesday 10th Sept Christmas Day Boxing Day
Friday 25th Dec Thursday 28th Dec
SUPPORT GROUPS ADHD Gibraltar adhdgibraltar@gmail.com facebook.com/ADHDGibraltar/ Alcoholics Anonymous meet 7pm Tues & Thurs at Nazareth House Tel: 200 73774. A Step Forward support for single, separated, divorced/widowed people, meet 8pm Mon at St Andrew’s Church. Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support Group those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have breastfed to get together for coffee / support. Partners and older children welcome. Meets 1st Wed / month at Chilton Court Community Hall at 1.30pm. Enquiries and support 54014517. Childline Gibraltar confidential phone line for children in need. Freephone 8008 - 7 days a week 5pm - 9pm Citizens’ Advice Bureau Open Mon-Thur 9:30am-4:00pm, Fri 9:30am- 3:30pm. Tel: 200 40006 Email: info@cab.gi or visit at 10 Governor’s Lane. Free & confidential, impartial & independent advice and info. COPE Support group for people with Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Meetings at Catholic Community Centre Book
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Shop at 7.30pm first Thur of each month. Tel: 200 51469 Email: copeadsupport@hotmail.com Dignity At Work Now Confidential support and advice for those who are being bullied at work. Tel: 57799000. Families Anonymous Support group for relatives and friends concerned about the use of drugs or related behavioural problems. Meet weekly on Thurs at 9pm at Family and Community Centre, Mid Harbours Estate, Bishop Caruana Road. 54007676 or 54014484. Gamblers Anonymous Telephone: 54001520 Gibraltar Cardiac Rehabilitation and Support Group meets on the first Tues of every month at 8.30pm at John Mac Hall, except for Jul & Aug. Gibraltar Dyslexia Support Group 72 Prince Edwards Rd Tel: 200 78509 Mobile: 54007924 website: dyslexia.gi Gibraltar Hearing Issues & Tinnitus Association Voicemail: (+350) 200 66755, Text Message (SMS): (+350) 54066055, Correspondence Charity P.O. Box 90220, Gibraltar. Email: info@ ghita.gi, Facebook: Gibraltar Hearing Issues & Tinnitus Association (GHITA & BSL Club), Our support group meets the first Monday of every month at Suite 3, Kings Bastion Leisure Centre as from 5pm.
Gibraltar Marriage Care Free relationship counselling, including pre-marriage education (under auspices of Catholic Church, but open to all). Tel: 200 71717. Gibraltar Society for the Visually Impaired Tel: 200 50111 (24hr answering service). Hope miscarriage support Tel: 200 41817. Mummy & Me Breastfeeding Support: Meets every Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous Tel: 200 70720 Parental Support Group helping parents and grandparents with restrictive access to their children and grandchildren. Tel: 200 46536, 200 76618, or 54019602. Psychological Support Group, PO Box 161, Nazareth House. Meet Tuesdays at 7pm, Fridays 8pm. Tel: Yolanda 54015553 With Dignity Gibraltar support for separated, divorced/widowed or single people. Meet Weds 9pm, Catholic Community Centre, Line Wall Rd. Outings/activities. Women in Need Voluntary organisation for all victims of domestic violence. Refuge available. Tel: 200 42581 (24 hrs).
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
clubs & activities Arts & Crafts Cross Stitch Club: John Mackintosh Hall, 1st Floor, Mon 6-8pm, fee £1. Gibraltar Arts & Crafts Association: Children: Mon&Fri 12.30-2pm, Mon-Fri 3.45-5.15pm Adults: Wed 5.45-7.15, Sat 10.30 to 12.30, Tel: 20073865 email: gibartsandcrafts@hotmail.com Knit and Natter Group: Tues 11am-3pm, Thurs 5.30-7.30pm, at Arts & Crafts Shop, Casemates balcony. Free to join and refreshments provided. Tel: 20073865. The Arts Centre: Prince Edward’s Road, Art classes for children and adults. For more info call Tel: 200 79788. The Fine Arts Association Gallery: At Casemates. Open 10am-2pm, 3-6pm Mon-Fri, Sat 11am-1pm. The Arts Society Gibraltar: Monthly illustrated talks open to the public. Registration from 6:30pm every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Guest fee £12. We meet at The Garrison Library. Contact gibraltar@theartssociety.org or Claus Olesen on 54036666. Website with all informaiton is gibraltar.theartssociety.org Board Games Calpe Chess Club & Junior Club: meets in Studio 1, John Mackintosh Hall Thursday, Juniors: 5p.m. - 7 p.m. / Tuesday & Thursday 7p.m. - 10:30 The Gibraltar Scrabble Club: Meets on Tuesdays at 3pm. Tel: Vin 20073660 or Roy 20075995. All welcome. The Subbuteo Club: Meets in Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall. Dance Adult Dance Classes: Wed evenings at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre from 7-8.30pm. Contact Dilip on 200 78714. Art in Movement Centre: Hip-hop/Break Dance, Contemporary Dance, Pilates, Capoeira, Acrobatics, Street Kids & Tods, Modern Dance. Performance and Film opportunities. Judo & Jujitsu Classes: Tue/ Thur with Sensei Conroy. All ages. Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. www. artinmovement.net FB: Art In Movement A.I.M, tel 54025041 or 54007457 Ballet, Modern Theatre, Contemporary & Hip-hop: weekly at Danza Academy. Training from 3 years to Adult Advanced. 68/2 Prince Edward’s Rd Tel: 54027111. Bellydance Classes, all levels, Tue 8-9pm at the Ocean Village Gym (non–members welcome). Contact 54005593. DSA Old & Modern Sequence Dancing: Sessions at Central Hall Fri 8.30pm, beginners 8pm. Tel: 200 78901 or tony@ gibraltar.gi Everybody welcome. Modern & Latin American Sequence Dancing: Mon at Catholic Community Centre 8pm. Tel. Andrew 200 78901. Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Flexibility, Hip Hop & Dance Theatre: Classes weekly at Urban Dance Studio, 2 Jumpers Bastion. Tel: Yalta 54012212 or Jolene 54015125. Rockkickers Linedance Club: Governor’s Meadow 1st School. www.rockkickers.com Salsa Gibraltar Salsa: Tues at Laguna Social Club, Laguna Estate. Beginners 7-8.30pm. Intermediates 8.30-10pm. Tel: Mike 54472000 or info@salsagibraltar.com Zumba Classes at Urban Dance: Jumpers Bastion, with certified instructor Tyron Walker. Tel: 20063959 or 54012212 or Twitter: @UrbanDanceGib History & Heritage The Gibraltar Heritage Trust: Main Guard, 13 John Mackintosh Sq. Tel: 200 42844. The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association: Dedicated to the preservation of Rock’s transport/motoring heritage. Assists members in restoration / maintenance of classic vehicles. New members welcome. Tel: 200 44643. Garrison Library Tours: at 11am on Fri, duration 1h 50mins. Tel: 20077418. History Alive: Historical re-enactment parade. Main Street up to Casemates Square every Sat at 12 noon. Music Gibraltar National Choir and Gibraltar Junior National Choir: Rehearses at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Tel: 54831000. The Calpe Band: Mon & Wed. For musicians of brass/woodwind instruments of all standards/ages/abilities 7-9pm. Tel: 54017070 or thecalpeband@gmail.com
Jazz Nights: Thurs at 9pm at O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel. Tel: 200 70500. Outdoor Activities The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Gibraltar: Exciting self-development programme for young people worldwide equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. Contact: Award House, North Mole Road, PO Box: 1260. mjpizza@ gibtelecom.net, www.thedukes.gi. Social Clubs The Rotary Club of Gibraltar meets the Rock Hotel, 7pm Tuesday evenings. Guests welcome. For contact or info www.rotaryclubgibraltar.com Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes: (Gibraltar Province) meets RAOB Club, 72/9 Prince Edward’s Road - Provincial Grand Lodge, Thu/month, 7.30pm. William Tilley 2371, Thurs 8.30pm. Buena Vista 9975, monthly, Social Lodge. www.akearn1.wix. com/raob-gibraltar, william.tilley.lodge@ hotmail.co.uk, Clive, tel: 58008074 Special Interest Clubs & Societies Creative Writers Group: meets up on Tuesday mornings at 10.30 in O’Reilley’s Irish Bar and it is free to attend. Tel: Carla 54006696. Gibraltar Book Club: For info Tel: Parissa 54022808. Gibraltar Horticultural Society: meets 1st Thurs of month 6pm, J.M. Hall. Spring Flower Show, slide shows, flower arrangement demos, outings to garden centres, annual Alameda Gardens tour. All welcome. Gibraltar Philosophical Society: devoted to intellectually stimulating debate. Frequent lectures and seminars on a range of topics. Tel: 54008426 or Facebook: facebook.com/gibphilosophy Gibraltar Photographic Society: Meets on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. Wellington Front. Induction courses, talks, discussions, competitions etc. For details contact the secretary on, leslinares@gibtelecom.net Harley Davidson Owners’ Club: www.hdcgib.com Lions Club of Gibraltar: Meets 2nd and 4th Wed of the month at 50 Line Wall Road. www.lionsclubofgibraltar.com St John’s Ambulance: Adult Volunteers Training Sessions from 8-10pm on Tues. Tel: 200 77390 or training@stjohn.gi The Royal British Legion: For info or membership contact the Branch Secretary 20074604 or write to PO Box 332. UN Association of Gibraltar: PO Box 599, 22a Main Street. Tel: 200 52108. Sports Supporters Clubs Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club: Meets at Star Bar, Parliament Lane, when Spurs games are televised - call prior to matches to check game is televised. Great food for a lunch if KO is early or an early supper if the game is later. Gibraltar Arsenal Supporters Club: Meets match days upstairs at Time Out Café, Eurotowers. Gooners of all ages welcome. For info/news visit www.GibGooners.com Tel: 54010681 (Bill) or 54164000 (John). Gibraltar Hammers: Meets on match days at the Victoria Stadium Bar, Bayside Road. All league games are shown live. All West Ham supporters and their families are welcome. For details visit www.gibraltarhammers.com or gibraltarhammers@hotmail.com Leeds United Gibraltar Supporters Club. Meet at The Trafalgar Sports Bar 1 Rosia Road when live matches are on. All Leeds United supporters and their families are welcome. Join Leeds United Gibraltar Supporters club at: facebook.com/luscgib Sports & Fitness Artistic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Artistic Gymnastics Association. Tel: Angela 200 70611 or Sally 200 74661. Athletics: Gibraltar Amateur Athletics Association holds competitions through year for juniors, adults and veterans. Two main clubs (Calpeans 200 71807, Lourdians 200 75180) training sessions at Victoria Stadium. Badminton: Recreational badminton weekdays at Victoria Stadium (Tel: 200 78409 for allocations). Gibraltar Badminton Association (affiliated to BWF& BE) junior club/tournaments, senior leagues/ recreational. www.badmintongibraltar.com
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Ballet Barre Fitness: Adults on Wed 10am & Fri 6pm at The Arts Centre. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Basketball: Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (affiliated FIBA) leagues/ training for minis, passarelle, cadets, seniors and adults at a variety of levels. Tel: John 200 77253, Randy 200 40727. Boxing: Gibraltar Amateur Boxing Association (member IABA) gym on Rosia Rd. Over 13s welcome. Tuition with ex-pro boxer Ernest Victory. Tel: 56382000 or 20042788. Cheerleading: Gibraltar Cheerleading Association, girls and boys of all ages. Cheerleading and street cheer/hip-hop at Victoria Stadium. Recreational / competitive levels. Tel: 58008338. Canoeing: Gibraltar Canoeing Association. Tel: Nigel 200 52917 or Arturo 54025033. Cricket: Gibraltar Cricket, National Governing Body & Associate Member of ICC. Governs International & Domestic Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ & Girls’ cricket- league & cup competitions and in-school coaching. www.gibraltarcricket.com, info@gibcricket. com, Twitter: @Gibraltar_Crick Cycling: Gibraltar Cycling Association various cycling tours. Darts: Gibraltar Darts Association (full member of WDF & affiliate of BDO). We cater for men, ladies & youth who take part in leagues, competitions and a youth academy for the correct development of the sport. Tel: Darren 54027171 Secretary, Alex 54021672 Youth Rep, Justin 54022622 President. Email: info@ gibraltardarts.com Football: Gibraltar Football Association leagues/competitions for all ages OctoberMay. Futsal in summer, Victoria Stadium. Tel: 20042941 www.gibraltarfa.com Gaelic Football Club (Irish sport): Males any age welcome. Get fit, play sport, meet new friends, travel around Spain/Europe and play an exciting and competitive sport. Training every Wed on the MOD pitch on Devil’s Tower Road at 7pm. Andalucia League with Seville and Marbella to play matches home and away monthly. Visit www.gibraltargaels. com or secretary.gibraltar.europe@gaa.ie Hockey: Gibraltar Hockey Association (members FIH & EHF) high standard competitions/training for adults/juniors. Tel: Eric 200 74156 or Peter 200 72730 for info. Iaido: teaches the Japanese sword (Katana), classes every week. www.iaidogibraltar.com Ice Skating: Gibraltar Rock Stars Figure Skating Club lessons every Tuesday evening & Saturday morning, all levels including adults. Contact grsfsc@gmail.com or 58700000 Iwa Dojo, Kendo & Jujitsu: Classes every week, for kids/adults. Tel: 54529000 www. iwadojo.com or dbocarisa@iwadojo.com Judo and Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Budokai Judo Association UKMAF recognised instructors for all ages and levels at Budokai Martial Arts Centre, Wellington Front. Tel: Charlie 20043319. Ju-jitsu: Gibraltar Ju-jitsu Academy training and grading for juniors/seniors held during the evening at 4 North Jumpers Bastion. Tel: 54011007. Karate-do Shotokai: Gibraltar Karate-do Shotokai Association - Karate training for junior & seniors at Clubhouse, Shotokai karate centre, 41H Town Range. Monday: 9:30 p.m. & Wednesday 9:45 p.m. Karate: Shotokan karate midday Mon beginners, other students 8.30pm. Thurs 8.30pm. In town at temporary dojo or privately by arrangement. Contact Frankie 54038127 or info@fhmedia.co.uk. Motorboat Racing: Gibraltar Motorboat Racing Association Tel: Wayne 200 75211. Muay Thai and Muay Boran Club: Tues & Thur at Boyd’s Kings Bastion Leisure Centre at 6:30pm, Tel: John – 54024707 FB: Gibraltar Muay Thai Netball: Gibraltar Netball Association (affiliated FENA & IFNA) competitions through year, senior/junior leagues. Tel: 20041874. Petanque: Gibraltar Petanque Association. New members welcome. Tel: 54002652. Pilates: Intermediate Pilates: Tues & Fri 9.30am, beginners Pilates: Fri 10.50am at the Shotokai Centre, 41H Town Range. Tel: 54033465 or pilatesgibraltar@hotmail.com Gibraltar Pool Association: (Member of the
EBA) home and away league played on Thurs throughout the season, various tournaments played on a yearly basis both nationally and internationally, Tel: 56925000 gibpool@ gibtelecom.net, www.gib8ball.com Rhythmic Gymnastics: Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association runs sessions from 4 years of age, weekday evenings. Tel: 56000772 or Sally 200 74661. Rugby: Gibraltar Rugby caters for all ages from 4 years old to veterans (over 35’s). It organises competitions and sessions for Juniors; 4 x Senior Clubs; Veterans team; Touch Rugby and a Referees Society. Email admin@gibraltarrfu. com or visit www.gibraltarrfu.com Sailing: Gibraltar Yachting Association junior/ senior competitive programme (April - Oct) Tel: Royal Gibraltar Yacht Club at 200 78897. Shooting: Gibraltar Shooting Federation. Rifle, Europa Point Range (Stephanie 54020760); Clay pigeon, East Side (Harry 200 74354); Pistol, near Royal Naval Hospital (Louis 54095000). Snooker: Members of European Billiards & Snooker Association - facilities at Jumpers Bastion with 3 tables. Professional coaching for juniors/seniors. Organised leagues/ tournaments and participation in international competitions. Tel: 56262000 / 54000068, or info@gibraltarsnooker.com Squash: Gibraltar Squash Association, Squash Centre, South Pavilion Road (members WSF & ESF). Adult and junior tournaments and coaching. Tel: 200 44922. Sub-Aqua: Gibraltar Sub-Aqua Association taster dives for over 14s, tuition from local clubs. Voluntary sports clubs: Noah’s Dive Club and 888s Dive Club. Tel: 54991000. Commercial sports diving schools available. Time - Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.. Telephone, Jenssen Ellul - 54027122 Swimming: Gibraltar Amateur Swimming Association (member FINA & LEN) opens its pool for leisure swimming. Junior lessons, squad for committed swimmers, water polo. Pool open Mon&Thurs: 7-10am, 12.30-4pm. Tue, Wed, Fri: 7-10am, 12:30-5pm. Sat: 3-5pm. Sun: closed. Mon to Fri from 5-6pm groups training. 6-7.30 squad training. Mon, Wed, Fri 7.30-8.30 swimming joggers, Tues & Thurs 7:30-8:30 junior Water polo. Mon, Tues & Thurs 8:30-10pm Adult water polo. Tel: 200 72869. Table Tennis: Gibraltar Table Tennis Association training and playing sessions, Victoria Stadium, Tues 6-10pm and Thurs 8-11pm with coaching and league competition. Tel: 56070000 or 20060720. Taekwondo: Gibraltar Taekwondo Association classes/gradings Tel: Mari 20044142 or www. gibraltartaekwondo.org Tai Chi: Tai Chi for children and adults. MonThur 6.30-8pm at Kings Bastion Leisure Centre and Sat 9am-1pm at the Yoga Centre, 33 Town Range. Tel: Dilip 200 78714. Tennis and Paddle Tennis: Sandpits Club. Junior and adult training available. info : www. sandpits.club. Tel (Louis) 20077035 Ten-Pin Bowling: At King’s Bowl in the King’s Bastion Leisure Centre every day. Gibraltar Ten Pin Bowling (members FIQ & WTBA) leagues, training for juniors and squad. Tel: 200 52442. Triathlon: Hercules Triathlon Club organises swimming, running and cycling training sessions and competes regularly in Andalucia and Internationally. Contact chris.walker@york. gi or Facebook “Hercules Triathlon Club” Volleyball: Gibraltar Volleyball Association training, indoor leagues, beach volleyball competition, 3 v 3 competition, juniors and seniors. Tel: 54001973 or 54885000. Yoga: Integral Yoga Centre runs a full programme of classes from Mon-Fri at 33 Town Range. Tel: 200 41389. All welcome. Theatrical Groups Gibraltar Amateur Drama Association: Meet at Ince’s Hall Theatre Complex, 310 Main Street. Tel: 20042237. Trafalgar Theatre Group: Meets 2nd Wed of month, Garrison Library 8pm. All welcome.
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R U N W A Y
Victoria Stadium
3
4
REFERENDUM HOUSE ←→ SOUTH BARRACKS
Market Place loop (Eastbound)
http://www.gibraltarbuscompany.gi
Routes operated by
BOTH WORLDS ←→ ROSIA
Rosia loop (Northbound)
MARKET PLACE ←→ EUROPA POINT
3
Midtown loop (Southbound) Midtown loop (Northbound)
Ocean Village
Glacis Kiosk
WILLIS’s ROAD
MOUNT ALVERNIA ←→ ORANGE BASTION
AIRPORT/FRONTIER ←→ TRAFALGAR
EUROTOWERS ←→ ROSIA
http://citibus.gi
H
Bishop Canilla House
PLACES OF INTEREST
Coach Park
Cable Car
Airport
Lighthouse
Cathedral
Museum
BI
Taxis
Seaport
Castle
Beach
Stadium
Trafalgar Cemetery
QUEENSWAY
King’s Wharf
Queensway Quay
Referendum Gates
MAIN STREET
Commonwealth Park
Mid-Harbour Estate
Europort Building 8
A AN RU CA D OP A SH RO
Edinburgh House
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PRINCE EDWARDS ROAD
Eliott’s Way
48 BOTH WORLDS
ROSIA ROAD
Alameda Governor’s House Meadow House Victoria House
H KS RO AD
BA RR AC
Mount Pleasant
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New Harbours
Cumberland Jumpers Road Building
South Gates
New Mole House
Garrison Gym
© VK (2018)
ce ur So
Gibraltar Bus Network
rg p.o ma et tre ns pe O :
Rosia Plaza
North Gorge
Eliott’s Battery
March 2019 version : correct at time of going to print
Map of Gibraltar
University of Gibraltar
EUROPA POINT
2
Schematic Diagram of Bus Network (not to scale)
Buena Vista
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BUS NETWORK
GIBRALTAR
9 ROSIA ROSIA 4
Brympton
EUROPA ROAD
SOUTH BARRACKS
SOUTH PAVILION ROAD
St. Joseph’s School
MOUNT ALVERNIA
Schomberg
SO UT
Shorthorn Farm
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Rock Old Hotel Casino
RED SANDS ROAD
Lower Flat Bastion Rd Wilson’s Gardiner’s Ramp Road
Morello’s Ramp
TRAFALGAR Convent Place
Blackstrap Cove
N a t u r e
FLAT BASTION ROAD
Sacred Heart Church
Flat Bastion Rd
R o c k
Caleta Hotel
RECLAMATION Cathedral ROAD Square
King’s Bastion
Arengo’s Palace
PORT St. Bernard’s EURO Hospital GASA Swimming Pool
ROAD
Varyl Begg Estate
MONTAGU GARDENS
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British War Memorial
LINE WALL ROAD
BOTH WORLDS ←→ RECLAMATION ROAD
Artillery Arms
WILLIS’s ROAD
MAIN STREET MAIN STREET
Moorish Castle Estate
AIRPORT/FRONTIER ←→ RECLAMATION ROAD
Albert Risso House
Sir William Jackson Grove
Waterport Road
QUEENSWAY
Orange Bastion
Fishmarket Steps
1
William’s Way
U p p e r
SIR HERBERT MILES ROAD
1 2 MARKET PLACE
CASEMATES
Routes operated by
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Notre Dame School
Faulknor House
Constitution House
REFERENDUM HOUSE
WINSTON CHURCHILL AVENUE
Park & Ride
MARKET PLACE ←→ WILLIS’S ROAD
R U N W A Y
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BUS ROUTES
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AIRPORT/ FRONTIER
DEVIL’S TOWER RO AD
St. Theresa’s Church
GLACIS ROAD
Eastern Beach
CORRAL ROAD
WATERPORT ROAD
C A R C A B L E
Catalan Bay
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restaurants, bars & pubs THE LOUNGE
SOLO BAR & GRILL
ALL’S WELL
Stylish Lounge Gastro Bar on Queensway Quay Marina serving best quality food prepared by passionate, qualified chefs. Popular quiz on Sundays from 7pm and a relaxed friendly atmosphere. A separate Lounge Bar Area serving a wide range of hot drinks, wines, beers, spirits and cocktails at reasonable prices, with large TV’s for sports and events coverage.
Solo Bar and Grill is a stylish and modern eatery — perfect for business functions or lunches — and part of the popular Cafe Solo stable. Serving everything from Goats’ Cheese Salad, Mediterranean Pâté and Cajun Langoustines to Beer Battered John Dory, or Harissa Chicken, and Chargrilled Sirloin Steak. This is a delightful venue in Europort with a cosy mezzanine level and terrace seating. Well worth a visit, or two! Available for private functions and corporate events — call 200 62828 to book your function or event.
In the fashionable Casemates square stands Gibraltar’s last historical themed pub, named for the 18th-century practice of locking gates to the city at night when the guard called ‘All’s Well’. Their food menu caters to all cravings; whether it’s fish and chips, a homemade pie, or maybe even a delicious sharing platter, they have it all. All’s Well have an amazing range of bottled beers as well as being the only pub in Gibraltar to offer craft beer on tap. Happy hour is daily from 7-9pm. Large terrace. Karaoke Mondays & Wednesdays until late.
Open: 10am-late Mon - Sun Be sure to arrive early to ensure a seat! The Lounge, 17 Ragged Staff Wharf, Queensway Quay Marina Tel: 200 61118 info@thelounge.gi
Open: 12-8pm. Solo Bar & Grill, Eurotowers Tel: 200 62828
All’s Well, Casemates Square. Tel: 200 72987
SEE YOUR ADVERT HERE To advertise your bar/restaurant on this page, email editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com. (Get 50% off all advertising with code GIBMAG50.)
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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Show Us Your Mag! Little Reilley was the winner of our Show Us Your Mag competition. Congratulations, Reilley! We're glad you liked your pressies, and are looking forward to seeing you back on the Rock soon!
Would you like to be in the running to win a special prize? Simply send in a photo of you, your children (furry, scaly, feathery or human!) or your friends holding a copy of Gib Mag to editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com! (Competition ends 20th November. Winner announced in our December issue.)
around town
#FreetheKnee
The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission wear shorts to work in aid of Prostate Cancer Support Group Gibraltar.
01 Sept '20 to 7 Sept '20
DUTY PHARMACY OPENING HOURS
08 Sept '20 to 14 Sept '20
Monday to Friday (7pm to 9pm) Weekends & public holidays (11am to 1pm & 6pm to 8pm)
15 Sept ‘20 – 21 Sept ‘20
For updates, check facebook.com/PharmaGuide
22 Sept ‘20 –28 Sept ‘20
29 Sept ‘20 – 05 Oct ‘20
Valmar Pharmacy Europort
1.0.08 Eurotowers Tel: 200 63868
Wesley Pharmacy
299b Main Street 200 67567
Trafalgar Pharmacy
48-50 Main Street 200 71710
New Chemist
19 Main Street 200 45039
Omega Pharmacy
13 Cooperage Lane 200 44544
CHESS PUZZLE ANSWER: 1 Rxh6 + forces checkmate in all variations.
WHAT'S ON SEPTEMBER 2020 RUNNING UNTIL 02ND OCTOBER Frontline Worker's Exhibition GEMA Gallery, Montagu Bastion For more information contact info@culture.gi or call +350 200 67236 RUNNING UNTIL 25TH SEPTEMBER National Celebrations Photographic and Art Competition Exhibition Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates Square For more information contact info@culture.gi or call +350 200 67236 17TH TO 19TH SEPTEMBER Calpe Conference 2020 18 - 20 Bomb House Lane, PO Box 939, Gibraltar For more information contact enquiries@gibmuseum.gi or call +350 200 74289
Š DAN THOMSON
thegibraltarmagazine
Liked by you and 365,999 others thegibraltarmagazine Š Dan Thomson. Have you taken a picture in or of Gibraltar? Snap and send to editor@thegibraltarmagazine.com! thegibraltarmagazine #gibgems #gibraltar #thegibraltarmagazine #gibraltarmagazine #publication #visitgibraltar #therockofgibraltar #mediterraneanlife
Kid's Korner
Are there more red, or white balloons? RED:
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
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9. Recover lost knowledge (7)
2. Greek hero who supported the world; Moroccan mountain range (5)
10. Trap for crabs etc. (5) 11. German city (5)
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22. Texan mission where Davy Crockett died (5) 23. An alkaline metal (7)
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13. Orson Welles film based on a 1&4 novel (3,5,3)
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12. Momentum (7)
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14. Eastern European country (7) 15. Receptacle in an item of furniture; knickers! (7)
25. A receptacle for refuse (3-3)
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16. See 17 17. 1&4 novel_ _ in _ (3,3,6) 19. Bathroom sponge (5) 21. Relating to Troy (5)
& YOU COULD WIN
SUDOKU
lunch for two at
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GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020
Juliette Gaffney
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THE IMPORTANCE OF KING SAFETY BY GRANDMASTER RAY KEENE OBE We all know that checkmate ends the game, but an important strategic device is to lure the opposing king into the firing line at an early stage of the game. Computer programs,capable of near perfect calculation, are better equipped to survive early king disruption, however human players usually find that an insecure king becomes an insurmountable handicap. This syndrome tends to arise, as in this month’s game, when one side decides to forfeit the right to castle. Keene v Martinovsky Chicago 1985 Grunfeld Defence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 A reliable system which I have used about six or seven times. I was also impressed with Karpov’s win with it over Korchnoi at Phillips and Drew, London 1984. 5...Ne4 6. cxd5 Nxg5 7. Nxg5 e6 Also possible is the gambit 7... c6!? 8 dxc6 Nxc6 9 e3 e5 10 d5 Qxg5 11 dxc6 O-O. Huebner had a rough time on the white side of this against Kavalek at Montreal 1979, so I had no reason to doubt that his subsequent try 12 h4! Qe7 13 Nd5 Qd6 14 c7 e4 15 Bc4 Qc5 16 Qc2 b5 17 Bb3 Qxc2 18 Bxc2 Re8 19 0-0-0 Bb7 20 Kb1, eventually won
by White in 143 moves (Huebner - Ftacnik, Biel 1984), truly does represent a well thought out edge for White. 8. Qd2 exd5 Most theoretical texts regard this as equal, but in my opinion Black still has to contend with certain difficulties, including a displaced king. Safer is 8...h6 9 Nh3 exd5 10 Nf4, as in Karpov - Adorjan, Budapest 1973. After 10 Qe3+ Kf8 11 Nf4 c5! Black is OK, primarily because White has lost his grip over d4. 9. Qe3+ Kf8 I love it when my opponent cannot castle. Compared with the previous variation, White here retains a much firmer grip over the vitally important central point, d4.
15 Bd3 Kg7 ‘equal’. I don’t believe that at all. White can play g4-g5 or h4-h5; also 16 Qe3 intending Ne2-f4. Black would still have many difficulties to overcome. 13. e4 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Bf5 This looks plausible but loses by force. 14...Qa5+ 15 Nfd2 Bg7 16 Bc4 is virtually winning, so the best defence is 14...Kg7, although 15 Bc4! keeps White on top. 15. Nxf6 Qxf6 16. g4 Qe6+ Or 16...Qe7+ 17 Ne5 Qb4+ 18 Kd1 Qxb2 19 Rc1 Be6 20 Bc4! Bxc4 21 Rxc4 with a crushing W________W attack; alternatively 17...Bd7 18 Bc4. árhb1WiW4]
à0p0WDpDW] 17. Ne5 f6 ßWDWDWgp0] Fatal would be 17...Qd5 18 gxf5 ÞDWDpDWDW] Qxh1 19 fxg6. ÝWDW)W!W)] ÜDWHWDNDW] 10. Qf4 Bf6 11. h4 h6 12. Nf3 18. gxf5 fxe5 19. dxe5 Qxf5 ÛP)WDP)PD] W________W 19...gxf5 20 Bc4 wins. árhb1WiW4] Ú$WDWIBDR] WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW à0p0WDpDW] ßWDWDWgp0] 20. Qb4+ Kg7 21. 0-0-0 ÞDWDpDWDW] W________W ÝWDW)W!W)] árhWDWDW4] ÜDWHWDNDW] à0pDWDWiW] ÛP)WDP)PD] ßWDpDWDp0] Ú$WDWIBDR] ÞDWDW)qDW] WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW ÝW!WDWDW)] ÜDWDWDWDW] ÛP)WDW)WD] W________W Probably Black’s best here is 12... ÚDWIRDBDR] Be6. His chosen move is often árhWDWDW4] WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW played but seems to me to be less à0pDWDWiW] active. ßWDpDWDp0] This is crushing. No need to enter W________W ÞDWDW)qDW] unnecessary complications with 21 12....c6 áW$WDWDWD] Qxb7+ Qd7 22 Qxa8 Qc7. Black ÝW!WDWDW)] Authorities differ on this position. àDWDrDW0k] now has to stop 22 Qxb7+. ÜDWDWDWDW] Some manuals say that 13 e4 ßpDWDWDR0] dxe4 14 Nxe4 is slightly better ÛP)WDW)WD] 21...b5 22. Bd3 Qxe5 23. Rhe1 ÞDbDpDWDP] for White, as in the game. Other ÚDWIRDBDR] Na6 24. Qg4 Qf6 25. Bxg6 Rhd8 sources give 13 e4 Be6 14 e5 Be7 ÝWgWGW)WD] WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW ÜDW0WDW)W] GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2020 W________W ÛWDWDWDWD]
W________W árhb1WiW4] à0p0WDpDW] coffee time ßWDWDWgp0] ÞDWDpDWDW] ÝWDW)W!W)] ÜDWHWDNDW] If 25...Nc5 26 Bc2+ Kf7 27 Qh5+ ÛP)WDP)PD] or 26...Kf8 27 Qb4. Ú$WDWIBDR] 26. Re6 Rxd1+ 27. Kxd1 Qxb2 WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW Or 27...Qf8 28 Bc2+ Kh8 29 Qd4+ Qg7 30 Rxh6+; 27...Qxf2 28 Bf5+ W________W Kf8 29 Rf6+ also wins easily.
árhWDWDW4] à0pDWDWiW] 28. Bc2+ Kf8 29. Qf5+ Black ßWDpDWDp0] resigned ÞDWDW)qDW] ÝW!WDWDW)] ÜDWDWDWDW] PUZZLE: ÛP)WDW)WD] ÚDWIRDBDR] Svidler v Carlsen WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW Steinitz Memorial 2020
W________W áW$WDWDWD] àDWDrDW0k] ßpDWDWDR0] ÞDbDpDWDP] ÝWgWGW)WD] ÜDW0WDW)W] ÛWDWDWDWD] ÚDWDWDWIW] WÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈW for position after Blacks 47 ...c3 How does White deliver a rare death blow against the World Champion? Answer on page 90
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little dictionary
lollygag verb to spend time aimlessly; doing something not serious or useful
e.g. Stop lollygagging around and get to work! 29 City Mill Lane, Gibraltar +350 200 72470 / info@littleenglish.eu
E: rocket022@hotmail.com
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